Wednesday, March 31
Friday Is Decision Day For Braves
Greenville, S.C., officials are expected to approve funding to building a new minor-league baseball stadium. But that might not be enough to keep the Braves Class AA team from moving …
Black-White Disparities Still Severe
AP reports: "Black Americans are less likely than white Americans to own homes, don't earn as much as whites, don't live as long, and don't do as well in school, …
Tuesday, March 30
$141M bond bill for universities passes House committee
Andy Kanengiser of the CL reports: "A House committee today approved a $141 million bond bill for building projects at Mississippi universities, two-year colleges and state agencies. 'The needs are …
Sunday, March 28
Soccer Night in Mississippi
More than 6,000 fans turned out in Ridgeland on Saturday night to see an MLS exhibtion game in which the Dallas Burn beat the Chicago Fire beat the Dallas Burn …
Dark Clouds Over Texas
Are you already depressed about the prospects for your favorite baseball team? Just remember, it could be worse. You could be a Texas Rangers fan.
Saturday, March 27
Get Your Kicks At Freedom Ridge
Doctor S has fallen down on this one, but if you hustle it's not too late for you to see a major league pro sports event right here in the …
Scooby-Do, How Do You Do It, Dog?
Doctor S wants to take a moment out from the pressing issues of the sports world to ask: How the hell did Scooby-Do become the most popular TV cartoon in …
Friday, March 26
Diamond Duds
It's almost time for the Major League Baseball season to begin. Several teams will be wearing new or modified uniforms. Is there a wardrobe malfunction in your favorite nine's future? …
On the Down Low
Considering that this is Mississippi, Councilman Bo Brown did a pretty gutsy thing at the Jackson City Council's March 16 meeting: He started a discussion about AIDS. Brown had perhaps …
[Jacktown] Acrimony and Outrage, by Alphonso Mayfield
If you haven't already gone to allhiphop.com and read their two-part, in-depth interview with David Banner, read it! When you get there, you will find the self-proclaimed Mr. Mississippi going …
[Drive] Revenge of the Minivans?
What is the deal with my life and minivans? All of a sudden I seem to find myself ensconced in the little buggers just a little more often than I …
A Filmmaker in Movieland
What amazes me after having read "Scorsese on Scorsese" (Faber and Faber, revised 2003, $15) is how much divergent work this one great American director has been able to get …
A Wild Ride
Alan Huffman's "Mississippi in Africa" (Gotham Books, 2004, $27) is a remarkable book that will capture your imagination and ground you in reality. For anyone who has ever been haunted …
[Crossroads] Cyber-Man
"No Maps for These Territories" is a fascinating glimpse into the philosophy and biography of William Gibson, the science-fiction writer best known for coining the phrase "cyberspace." Beyond that claim …
Do the Strand
There are no movie theaters in Jackson anymore, at least not any that show actual movies on a regular basis. All the big first-run multiplexes sit amidst the sprawl outside …
Hello, Larry
Southern Miss made it official on Thursday, bringing Larry "Party All The Time" Eustachy out of exile to become the Golden Eagles' new men's basketball coach. In one sense, USM's …
No More Turkey Day Egg-citement
Yes, the rumors are true. The Mississippi State-Ole Miss game which had been a national TV fixture on Thanksgiving night (thanks to ESPN) for the last six years, will move …
Thursday, March 25
SEC pioneer hits the field
Sylvester Croom, Mississippi State's new head football coach, began his first spring practice with the Bulldogs on Wednesday.
Misused DHS funds investigated
Julie Goodman of the Clarion Ledger reports: "The state Department of Human Services is investigating whether millions of dollars in welfare money was used for such things as a down …
The Un-Tuskegee Experiment
African Americans had every reason to join the Jackson Heart Study, and every reason not to participate. A landmark study of African Americans and heart disease, it is no ordinary …
House bill added $184M to school funding
The Sun Herald reports: "The House's $2 billion K-12 spending bill, which passed by a 103-18 vote Tuesday, would fund the Mississippi Adequate Education Program, a formula established in 1997 …
Rich Dog, Poor Dog
The world premiere of "Benji Returns: Rags to Riches" will be Thursday, March 25, at the Parkway Theater on Lakeland Drive. The black-tie event includes a silent auction, a meet-and-greet …
Nina Parikh
Nina Flaminiano Parikh isn't the sort of name you'd expect for the associate manager of the Mississippi Film Office, but that's what the 30-year-old answers to (even after April 10 …
Shakin' Loose
The newly created Sangha Theater Company performed "Shake Loose My Skin" at the Smith Robertson Museum and Cultural Center on March 11-13 as its inaugural production. Named for the collection …
Organics, Revisited
In response to the problems occurring nationwide with mainstream produce or foods grown with pesticides, growth hormones or that have been genetically altered, people are increasingly turning to organic food. …
All The Rage
So you want to be a pro basketball player? All of those YMCA warriors who insist "all I need is a shot to get in the NBA" will get a …
Wednesday, March 24
Eustachy A Natural For USM
Bonus: Larry rates the party schools.
Larry Eustachy, the former Iowa State basketball coach best know for his affinity for college coeds and Natural Light beer, is expected to named coach at Southern Miss on Friday, …
[Fleming] A Come to Jesus Meeting
Where were you at 4:30 p.m. on March 18, 2004? I know where I was. I was sitting at my desk in the House Chamber, listening to Rep. Willie Bailey, …
[Stiggers] Tale of Two Criminals
From the producers of the Sci-Fi horror film "Very High Unemployment in America" ... This is a story about two women who escaped their wrong decisions. Martha was a rich, …
That Old-Time ‘Southern Strategy'
Jack Bass writes for Salon: "The recent recess appointments by President George W. Bush of two controversial Deep South Republicans to federal courts of appeals indicates that the Republican 'Southern …
Medicare In Trouble, Thanks to Health Costs and New Medicare Law
Let me guess: federal tort reform is the cure-all? NY Times reports: "Medicare's financial condition has significantly deteriorated, partly because of exploding health costs and partly because of the new …
Bush Facing Dreary Jobs Data in Michigan
AP reports: "Allies of Democrat John Kerry in this down-on-its-luck industrial state are armed with depressing statistics on unemployment and poverty, hoping to persuade voters to blame President Bush for …
Grand Plan or Grand Goof?
<b>Opposition to Nuclear Reactor Builds</b>
Entergy has applied for a permit that could increase employment in the Claiborne County area by about 300 individuals. The same permit could possibly increase the $600,000 already allotted to …
The Pearl Braves?
Greenville (S.C.) Mayor Knox White says the G-Braves are in play, and that a suburban Mississippi city has an offer on the table to lure the AA franchise from Greenville.
Sunday, March 21
‘Black Females Are Valued By No One'
The Village Voice reports on a new study of the attitudes of the "hip-hop generation." Thulani Davis writes: "In reality, the teens interviewed—between 16 and 20 years old—are probably children …
Saturday, March 20
[Crossroads] Beah Speaks
Just as it was in every scene she ever played, Beah Richards' presence is commanding and unforgettable in "Beah: A Black Woman Speaks," a documentary about one of the finest …
[Crossroads] Two African Spirits
"Beah: A Black Woman Speaks" is a gift from Beah Richards and LisaGay Hamilton that has the power to change anybody who has the courage to let it. The two …
Friday, March 19
NY Times Examines Barbour Role in Energy Policy
In a long piece Sunday, The New York Times examined Haley Barbour's role in Bush energy/environmental policies: "Just six weeks into the Bush administration, Haley Barbour, a former Republican party …
Thursday, March 18
Soothing Answers to Burning Questions
How did the NCAA basketball tournament come to be called March Madness? How did the Final Four get its name? Slate supplies the answers. Meanwhile, Doctor S could have told …
Another Group of Bulldog Basketball Heroes
The Mississippi State basketball team is in the headlines as the Bulldogs play in the NCAA tournament. On March 24, Mississippi Public Broadcasting will air "One Night in March," a …
Wednesday, March 17
[Ladd] One for the Grrls
I was recently visiting a couple in Fondren who have two delightful little daughters with whom I love to hang out. They're loud, proud, colorful, confident. The oldest came up …
Not Separate, Still Unequal
<b>Part I: Filling the Gap</b>
What Hinds County Citizens for Public Education and Hinds County School District Superintendent Phyfa Eiland say they want for the children of the Hinds County School District are so close …
Kerry Heralds Education and Good Deeds in Jackson
"Mr. Kerry, Please help save our democracy. Equal Rights for all!" In a sea of "Kerry for President" signs, these words were written on a homemade sign held up in …
Executioner's Blues, by Scott Barretta
March 10, 2004—Steve Earle, who performed at an anti-death penalty benefit at Hal and Mal's on Friday, March 12, stirred up controversy in the country-music world in 2002 with his …
Tuesday, March 16
50 Cent Slams Gay Men; Says Lesbians ‘Cool'
MTV News reports: "In a wide-ranging interview with Playboy magazine, 50 Cent has let his feelings on homosexuality be known, in language sure to draw the ire of gay-rights supporters. …
Why Young Blacks Should Vote
Black America Web reports: "With the 2004 presidential election just eight months away and important political issues at stake, many are wondering why young blacks between the ages of 18 …
House clears bills to limit abortions
Emily Wagster Pettus of the AP reports today:"Abortion-rights supporters say opponents tried in roundabout ways to limit women's access to a legal medical procedure with three bills that cleared the …
[Spann] The Power of ‘Passion'
A year or so ago, a young man visiting my Wednesday night Bible study class relayed his encounter with a non-Christian who questioned how Christianity could be a monotheistic faith …
Monday, March 15
Kerry, Dems to Campaign in Mississippi
I'm happy to see the national Democratic Party taking Mississippi seriously. It's so insulting when national media, politicos or anyone else assume that all of our minds are already made …
[Ask JoAnne] No License, Little Equipment
Q. I watched the "short-necked clam battle" the other night on Food Network, and one or two of the dishes they cooked up looked pretty good, and I thought I …
Sunday, March 14
Bust Out Those Brackets
The NCAA Tournament field is set. As happens every year, millions of Americans will break the law during the next two weeks by participating in illegal office pools. (Hey, we …
Friday, March 12
CONGRATULATIONS, Ayana!!!
If y'all heard squeals of delight in the distance over the last 24 hours, it's because the JFP's Ayana Taylor learned that she was accepted to the Academy for Alternative …
[Mimi] Hurl Rice, Not Brimstone
One day a guy wakes up and says, "You know what, today I am deciding to be gay. It will be so much fun. I'll tell my parents so they …
[Arts] Viva La Revolution!
I moved to Belhaven a little over three years ago from The Country Club neighborhoods of Northeast Jackson. I had discovered the unique and somehow unknown appeal of downtown a …
Thursday, March 11
[Appetite] Men: The Joy of the Hunt
T he seeking of a mate seems a daunting task, but it does not have to be. All that is required is an open mind and a hearty, insatiable appetite. …
Optimisme Bienvenu
I admit it: I'm a snob. I can hear the slightly superior voice in my head: "One really should see works in their true context to fully understand them. One …
‘I Usually Do Win'
Margaret Wodetzki figures she's run in close to 300 races. Winner of the Women's Senior Masters trophy in the 2004 Vicksburg Run Through History—that daunting 10K dash through the Hilly …
The best in sports in the next 14 days
College basketball, Ole Miss vs. Vanderbilt, 6:30 p.m., Ch. 12 and WFMN (97.3): The Rebels meet the Commodores in the first round of the SEC Tournament at Atlanta. The winner …
E-mail from Howard Dean
This went to his mailing list just now: "John Kerry and I had a very good meeting yesterday. During the campaign we often focused on what divided us, but the …
March Misery
Southern Miss' miserable basketball season is finally over. The Golden Eagles lost to Saint Louis 62-56 Wednesday night in the first round of the CUSA tournament.
How The Zebra Got His Stripes
Uniwatch offers something unusual: The evolution of the referee's uniform. The story is told with rare photos and the usual bitchy fashion criticism.
Wednesday, March 10
Jill Conner Browne
Mississippians are so used to being on the bottom that, without provocation, we'll take aim at our own feet and fire at will just to prove we can blow a …
[Cohen] Never Mind All That
It's official. The decision was made some two and a half years ago, but the first airings of the Bush campaign's television ads brought the strategy fully into play. The …
[Stiggers] Aunt Willa-Mae's X-Cubed Corn Whiskey
The following is an important message from Pookie Peterz of Hustlers International Inc.
[City Buzz] Rules Are Made to Be Busted
DON'T LIKE THE RULES? CHANGE 'EM: Democrats in the Mississippi House succeeded in passing a rules change on Wednesday, March 3, 2004, that they will likely use to block some …
Rainbow Coalition
The excitement was palpable in the rotunda of the state Capitol on March 2 when a diverse team of city and state leaders showed up at a historic rally to …
Women At Risk
For the first time, women might be dying from heart disease at higher rates than men. Preliminary data gathered in 2001 indicates a new trend in heart disease among a …
Bill Minor: Barbour's Nephew Lobbyist Raising Ire
Mr Minor writes: "Henry Barbour, the nephew who managed Gov. Haley Barbour's recent gubernatorial campaign, and his brother, Austin, have hooked up with Capitol Resources — an influential legislative lobbying …
Conservative LeSueur wins Primary
Clarion-Ledger reports:Clinton LeSueur trounced his opponents Tuesday in the 2nd Congressional District Republican primary, leaving him now to decide what campaign strategy to use against Democratic incumbent Bennie Thompson in …
Thug Life On Ice
Vancouver Canucks goon Todd Bertuzzi is facing a lengthy suspension and possible criminal charges for his cheap shot on Colorado Avalanche forward Steven Moore that left Moore with a broken …
SEC's Top Dogs
Mississippi dominates the AP All-SEC team. Mississippi State's Lawrence Roberts (the Player of the Year) and Timmy Bowers head the team. Jackson's own Justin Reed, of Ole Miss, is also …
One Way To Break Into NASCAR
Florida police say an 18-year-old man stole a luxury car with the keys left in the ignition, drove it to Homestead-Miami Speedway, barrelled past security guards who tried to flag …
Monday, March 8
Praise the Lord, and Pass the Grits, by Lynette Hanson
Feb. 26, 2004—Harmony can mean many things, not just musical ones, either. For instance, the harmony between grits—that wonderful Southern breakfast side dish—and other scrumptious morsels like hot buttered biscuits, …
Happy MSU, Sad USM
In one of the greatest college basketball games Doctor S has witnessed, Mississippi State rallied from an 18-point deficit in the second half and beat Alabama 82-81 on Saturday. The …
Saturday, March 6
DHS shuts down centers
Pamela Berry of the Clarion Ledger writes: "By month's end, 34 family resource centers will close and more than 100 Mississippi families will be stripped of their child-care assistance in …
Friday, March 5
[Lott] Protecting Forests
Recently passed by the Senate thanks to the strong leadership of Senator Thad Cochran and supported by President Bush, the Healthy Forest Restoration Act will be a major benefit in …
Tuesday, March 2
Monday, March 1
‘American Astronaut'
Scattered across the desolate solar system exist the bleary-eyed mining men of Jupiter who know nothing of women and the sexually frustrated, all-female (Southern Belle no less) population of Venus. …
[Crossroads] Let the Music Play
Let's say you're like me—cannot play any musical instrument and can't, as the saying goes, "Carry a tune in a bucket." But, like me, you can be a curious consumer …
South by Northeast
On the one hand, you've got your Mexican food, and on the other hand, you've got your Asian food. Difficult decision? Not when someone else prepares it, serves it and …
[Featured Blog] On Bush's Gay Marriage War
In Salon today: :On the first day of his reelection campaign, George W. Bush attacked Sen. John Kerry as an equivocating wimp from Massachusetts. On the second day, the president …
