Friday, August 29
The Swami Speaks
It's that time of year again ... college football season. As always, Dr. S is here to tell you who's going to do what and why. But just remember, these …
A Football Doubleheader
Boy, does Louisiana Tech suck or what? At least they got the satisfaction of losing on national TV. But Dr. S doubts that Maryland and Georgia Tech would agree. The …
"How to Lose the Intelligent Vote, Part I"
Things are looking so positive in Mississippi. State Democrats chose the most qualified candidate for state treasurer regardless of race. Dialogue has started to happen about intelligent issues. There are …
Thursday, August 28
Mayor Johnson's ‘State of the City' Address
In its entirety: State of the City Address, Mayor Harvey Johnson, Jr., August 26, 2003, 5:30 p.m., Union Station
Wednesday, August 27
Dillon Celebrates Women's Equality Day
Gubernatorial Sherman Lee Dillon sent around a statement saluting Women's Equality Day. It reads: "Green Party Gubernatorial Candidate, Sherman Lee Dillon is fed up. As the father of four daughters …
Howard Dean jumps to a 21-point lead in N.H.
Building on his incredible momentum, presidential candidate Howard Dean jumped to a 21-point lead over Kerry in New Hampshire, drawing a wide range of support, from liberal to moderate, men …
Tuesday, August 26
The Pete Rose Mess
Why does Major League Baseball keep torturing Pete Rose? And did MLB reach an agreement to reinstate him? The Village Voice supplies some answers.
The D.C. Expos?
Should Major League Baseball move the Montreal Expos to Washington, D.C.? Charles Pierce of Slate says not just no, but hell no. And there are numerous reasons — political, culutral …
Monday, August 25
More Mascot Madness
Anderson Township (Ohio) High School's nickname was the Redskins until the principal decided to change it in response to a diversity committee's recommendation. But now a student is bidding to …
Are We Living In Titletown?
The Jackson Senators have been a success on and off the field in their two seasons at Smith-Wills Stadium. On Monday night, they open the Central Baseball League playoffs (brought …
Sunday, August 24
Thursday, August 21
[Ladd] Gentlemen, Tone It Down
Every day of the past week I've heard someone, usually a white progressive, ridicule City Councilman Kenneth I. Stokes. "He's crazy." "He's a lunatic." "He's a racist." The outspoken Ward …
Tell Me the Truth, JoAnne
Q. I hear you are a cat person, so maybe you can help me out. After putting a bell on my cat, I've noticed several owls hanging around. Do bells …
[Stiggers] McScruffie, the Crime Dog
"I know only three ways of living in society: one must be a beggar, a thief, or a wage earner." Honore de Mirabeau (1749-1791)
Mobilizing the Hip-Hop Generation
To anyone who watches MTV all day—where P. Diddy, Ja Rule and Nelly dominate the screen flashing fancy cars, gold chains and an entourage of scantily clad women—political empowerment and …
[Talk] Common Cause
Slowly, a crowd begins to fill what once was the music store of MusiQuarium in Banner Hall. There are still remnants of the funky shop in nooks and crannies; a …
[Talk] Testing for Tots
Although President Bush has been pushing his "No Child Left Behind" act as a way to help improve the standards of education in public schools, it seems the truth is …
[Talk] Social Republicans
Aug. 21, 2003—Barbara Blackmon's race might hurt her chance at the lieutenant governor's post this November, but it might help put fellow Democrat Ronnie Musgrove back into the governor's mansion. …
[Talk] The Way to Serendipity
You've been looking at that blank living room wall or that empty display shelf one too many times. Absolutely nothing you've seen has called your name and said, "Take me …
Monica Minter
Seated comfortably with perfect posture, Monica Jeany Minter calmly focuses on the photographer, her eyes never leaving his face until she thoroughly understands his instructions. Nothing about the busy Friday …
Get Your Grid On
<i>Dr. S' Amazing College Football Preview</i>
That chill in the night air (it got down to 75 the other night, brrr) signals that it's almost time for football. And here in Mississippi, the favorite brand of …
Important Correction About Run-Offs
In the issue of the JFP out today, we said you could vote in the run-offs on Tuesday ONLY IF you voted in the Aug. 5 primary. The secretary of …
Wouldn't It Be Simpler To Just Win?
Here'a another reason to hate youth sports: A team playing in the Junior League Softball World Series had to forfeit a game for intentionally playing poorly. You see, it's not …
Little League World Series: Don't Believe The Hype
ABC and ESPN are showing every game of the Little League World Series again this year (the championship game is Sunday on ABC). Personally, Dr. S. regards Little League ball …
Kobe Not Feeling Charitable
Dr. S believes that Kobe Bryant wakes up every day saying to himself, "Surely things can't get any worse." Wrong, Kobe.
Wednesday, August 20
Amy Tuck Revives State Flag Issue
Whoa. How should we read this interesting turn of events? Does Ms. Tuck believe it will be politically expedient to have a rebel flag debate as part of her race …
Sunday, August 17
Green Party of MS Says Stop Buying Public Offices
(Aug. 16, 2003, press release) The Green Party of Mississippi announces its support for a new project called "White House for Sale" which tracks the special-interest contributions to President Bush's …
Saturday, August 16
Gary Anderson confident about run-off
Gary Anderson, who could become the first African-American elected to state office since Reconstruction, told the Mississippi Link that he is confident about the Aug. 26 run-off with Rob Smith, …
[Talk] Rebels for NAFTA
Every year at the Neshoba County Fair, candidates bring in college students to do their dirty work. They did it back when I was head of "Students for Stennis" at …
School Daze: Testing Madness
As I proctored a classroom full of seventh-graders taking the Grade Level Testing Program (GLTP) test last April in a suburban Jackson public school, I couldn't help but think that …
[Talk] Kids in the Hall
At the 29th annual Jackson Music Awards, held at the Crowne Plaza Hotel on Aug. 4, much of the action happened in the hallway. Yes, great music was going on …
Thursday, August 14
Barbour Denies NAFTA Charge
(Aug. 14, 2003, press release from Musgrove campaign) (Jackson, MS) Haley Barbour is trying to deny his involvement with NAFTA and to minimize the scope of his work for the …
Electronic Voting Easily Hacked?
The Washington Post reports that many states are backing away from electronic voting machines: "Since being released two weeks ago, the [Johns] Hopkins report has sent shock waves across the …
Tuesday, August 12
Open Primaries in Mississippi?
Is the closed-primary system outdated? The Sun-Herald explores.
Thursday, August 7
"African Americans for Dean" Site Launches
It's intriguing to watch the efforts of the Dean campaign to reach out to the black community. Earlier today, the campaign announced that he has appointed a new deputy campaign …
Sun-Herald: A Question of Priorities
The Sun-Herald today editorialized about Tuesday's election: "Last year, 43,466 Harrison Countians decided it was worth a trip to the polls to vote on a flag. This week, 22,280 Harrison …
Chasing the Youth Vote
Here's a story from Wiretap magazine about the strategies (and lack of) behind luring the youth vote. This talks about the Harvard report that our teen columnist Jessica Kinnison wrote …
[Stauffer] Where the Sidewalk Begins
I stepped out of Peaches Restaurant on Farish Street the other day after stopping in to hear Dorothy Moore sing and to celebrate her recent album release. When I got …
Reed Branson: Race No Longer a Factor?
Commercial-Appeal writer Reed Branson examines the Mississippi primaries in the light of their race implications: "Mississippians are once again about to dance with, or around, the awkward issue of race. …
So Little Time, So Much Blather
The Seven Minutes That Shook The World went down Wednesday as Kobe Bryant made his first appearance in court on a sexual assault charge in Eagle, Colo. As expected, the …
Is It Too Late For A Bass Action Suit?
Dr. S read in the latest JFP that Lance Bass of *NSYNC is being inducted into the Mississippi Music Hall of Fame. Lance Bass? LANCE BASS!!??? What th ----? Muddy …
Wednesday, August 6
Kamikaze: Left Behind, by Alphonso Mayfield
The term "kamikaze" is a well-known phrase used to identify Japanese pilots who flew suicide missions during World War II. However, the term has a much deeper significance with the …
[Talk] Musical Education
"A significant part of our mission is education," explains Malcolm White, executive direction of the Mississippi Musicians Hall of Fame. "Both getting Mississippi music education in the public schools and …
[Stiggers] Fall for These Books
"Kizzy Speaks: Massa George and Me" is a delightful narrative in ebonic dialect by Condoleeza Rice as she extols the virtues of the M.C. George Bushy's "I'm Not Down with …
Tell Me the Truth, JoAnne
Q. I was reading your column in the July 10-23, 2003, edition and saw the question about the best fried chicken in Jackson. I was entertained, but a little disappointed …
Tough Questions: Gov. Ronnie Musgrove
They said they'd give me 15 minutes. I took 23. In that minuscule amount of time—enough time for sound bites, but not as much substance as I'd like—I tried to …
Blackmon Makes History
Will Barbara Blackmon become the first African-American -- and a woman at that!? -- to be elected statewide in Mississippi since Reconstruction? Time will only tell.
Sherman Lee Dillon's "Blog" ... of sorts
It's not a really a blog—you can't post comments—but Dillon's gubernatorial race journal is the closest I've seen to a candidate posting a blog, and direct comments to the voters, …
Treasurer Candidates to Run-off
Cindy Ayers-Elliott told me last week that Rob Smith was the candidate to look out for. She was right.
Election Returns
Get updated election returns from the Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal.
Love That Cup
I know that Jackson Free Press readers don't rate Popeyes chicken as the best in Jackson, but the fast-food restaurant has a neat cup it's giving away. It pays tribute …
Blogging the Body Politic
Read about presidential hopeful Howard Dean's remarkable grass-roots blogging campaign. And add your voice at the end: Will this campaign change politics as we know it?
Kobe's (First) Day In Court
NBA superstar sexual predator Kobe Bryant gets his first day in court on Wednesday at around 5 p.m. CDT. Pick just about any channel, almost all of them will be …
Tuesday, August 5
Will You Bother to Vote?
There's no argument that the right to vote has been hard won in Mississippi, but this election year only a fragment of the state's citizens, black or white, is likely …
Monday, August 4
No More Nutella for Kobe
Bad news for Kobe Bryant: On Monday, two days before his initial appearance in court on a charge of sexual assault in Eagle, Colo., he lost his endorsement deal with …
[Kinnison] Engage This
"One of the most patriotic things you can do in this country is protest." — Keith, 21
[Stiggers] Darned Good Rhyme
In an effort to reach a younger audience, DGI (Darn Good Intelligence) and Bring Em On Records present M.C. George Bushy's new hiphop single "Back Dem Tanks Up: Speech Aftermath, …
[Talk] Alabama on our Minds
In an effort that riveted the attention of the nation and even got Alabama favorable copy on The New York Times editorial page, Alabama's Legislature passed the largest tax increase …
[Talk] Opening Doors
Too many physically challenged voters can't get to their polling place and inside to vote, says Mary Troupe, director of Mississippi's Coalition for Citizens with Disabilities. She described a situation …
Warming Up For Football
Players for the state's Big 3 college football teams, Mississippi State, Ole Miss and Southern Miss reported to campus on Sunday. They begin practice on Monday. All three play their …
Sens vs. the Fly Boys
The Jackson Senators open a three-game series at home on Monday night against the Coastal Bend Aviators. The Senators lead the Central Baseball League's Eastern Division'; the Aviators are atop …
Sunday, August 3
Bill Minor: Watch legislative races
This Tuesday, the state legislative races are some of the most interesting races to pay attention to, columnist Bill Minor writes.
Friday, August 1
Barbour Files Campaign Finance Report
The following are details of the report for the period of July 1—July 26, 2003:
[Trent Lott column] Beyond Casinos
I will be in Tunica County soon to officially open the new Tunica Airport. As most Mississippians know, Tunica County is one of the handful of Mississippi counties where citizens …
Musgrove Campaign Holds $4 Million Cash on Hand
(Jackson, MS) July 29, 2003/press release: As required by state law, Governor Ronnie Musgrove's reelection campaign today will file its campaign fundraising report with the Mississippi Secretary of State. Musgrove …
Eat Free or Die
Radio ads announced a once-every-four-year opportunity for free food: the GOP candidate forum to be held at the Sports Museum on Lakeland Drive. A sucker for free food, I have …
[Talk] What's in the Water?
The City of Jackson was inconvenienced last week when officials released a precautionary boil-water alert because samples showed bacteria that can cause digestive problems. Everyone scrambled for alternatives. Residents lugged …
Run for Your Life
Just what is it about runners? They will get up at 6 a.m. on a Saturday to race 3.2 miles at 8 a.m. and pay to do it. I'm thinking …
[Drive] Less Than Zero
Ms. D likes to point out that I'm less of a car reviewer and more of an obsessive car shopper. She's right on many levels—while I like to take sports …
C-L Endorses Blackmon, Tuck for Lt. Guv
The Clarion-Ledger pointed to Blackmon's experience in the Senate to choose her over Democratic challenger Jim Roberts for the Dem nod, and to take on Tuck in November. Sid Salter …
Opponents: Barbour Helped Mexico Steal Miss. Jobs
The Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal reports on assertions by both Tyner and Musgrove yesterday at the Neshoba County Fair that Haley Barbour's lobbying for Mexico cost jobs in Mississippi. "The …
Play Rugby!
Play Rugby, the toughest full-contact team sport you will ever love. All are welcome with no skill required. Jackson Rugby practices every Tues. and Thurs. 6 - 8 p.m. at …
[Talk] Broken Promises
"The AmeriCorps program is in a crisis," wrote its Mississippi director, Judy Stein, in a June 17, 2003, letter to Congress. And that crisis may leave Mississippi the hardest hit …
[JoAnne] Tell Me the Truth
<b>No Amount Of Lovin'
Q. I'm thinking about getting married. What is the one best piece of advice you can give me?
[Spann] Tonight, Baby?
The nubile young bodies writhing on our television screens and the sultry voices emanating from our radio speakers would lead most of us to believe that Americans are having great …
