‘Something Wrong with Your Brain'
The neurologist walked into the room and closed the door quietly behind her. She turned off the lights and went to her computer monitor.
Ring a Bell
At the end of September, I took my vacation in Batesville. Unbeknownst to many--including the majority of Mississippians, I imagine--Batesville is the home to the Magnolia Grove Buddhist Monastery and mindfulness meditation practice center. For five days, 850 participants shared living quarters, meals and the teachings--dharma talks--of Vietnamese Zen Buddhist master Thich Nhat Hanh. The subject was cultivating the mind of love.
Oil Spill Czar Being Slick?
Jim Hood doesn't pull any punches when it comes to criticizing the Gulf Coast Claims Facility, the agency set up to help people who were hurt by the 2010 BP oil disaster, and its administrator, Kenneth Feinberg. Since early this year, Hood has sought access to Mississippi residents' claims to make sure GCCF handles payouts from the $20 billion fund fairly and in accordance with the state's consumer protection laws.
Part-time Occupation
After weeks of debate, the Jackson City Council agreed to a compromise to allow Occupy Jackson protesters to stay at Smith Park later in the evening, although they will not get to occupy the park overnight.
Obit for a Flaming Troll
It's getting harder to comment on news stories with an anonymous post. As many readers click on links to get to stories, they have started to notice that once they get to the comments section, the site already knows who they are. This is true if you are already signed in on Facebook or Google+ and link to a story in certain national publication or even some one-person blogs.
UMMC Hosts Children's Health Study
The National Children's Study, a long-term study of children's health, hosted a ribbon cutting Nov. 10 at the Jackson Medical Mall to highlight research that is taking place in the Jackson area.
Council: Revisit Free Speech 101
The Jackson City Council voted Tuesday to extend a compromise to the Occupy Jackson protesters, allowing them a permit to stay in Smith Park until 11 p.m., rather than all night. That may or may not have been the right compromise between their right to assemble and the city's need to ensure nothing happens to them in the middle of the night.
[Stiggers] Bearable, Not Burdensome
Let the Clubb Chicken Wing Staff bring a little joy into your unemployed, foreclosed and repossessed world this Christmas holiday season. The 'new poor' (aka middle class) are welcome, too. Happy Holidays.
Vol. 10, No. 12
<b>'Not Your Church'</b>
Somewhere in the fight to stop Amendment 26 (Personhood), I went from just living in Mississippi, home of the entrenched conservative mindset to which I must surrender my hopes of progress and change, to understanding that this is MY Mississippi, home of diverse and often progressive souls longing for progress and change.
[Dennis] Happiness Is
How much of the information we exchange is worth communicating?
Our Anti-tax Governor Just Endorsed Online Sales Tax
I can't say I disagree with this: The Hill is reporting that Haley Barbour endorsed it in a letter to lawmakers today, urging them to close a loophole that lets online retailers forego sales taxes that are sorely needed at home (and hurts local businesses):
Ouch: Barbour's Advisers Were Embarrassed to Show Him What They'd Dug Up
Imagine being all set to run for president, and your advisers have dug up so much "opposition" dirt on you that they don't have the courage to present it to you? That, apparently, is what happened with our own Gov. Haley Barbour, according to a new e-book by Politico. And all that opposition dirt (which I'm more than positive included Ronni Mott and Sophie McNeil's investigation into his pardoning of all those brutal domestic murderers I mean: How do you explain that crap away!?). The Deseret News reports:
Where's Melton's portrait?
Mayor Harvey Johnson Jr. appears to be taking his time in hanging a portrait of his predecessor up in City Hall. Part of the delay, however, stems from the fact that the City Council hasn't bothered to hang up Johnson's portrait from his first term.
Imam in the Middle
In June 2007, I took a once-in-a-lifetime 12-day trip to Turkey. During our stay, our group visited multiple historic and religious sites. What made this trip different from a typical tourist agenda was that we also visited schools, hospitals and businesses, and met with students, teachers, doctors and entrepreneurs.
Wingfield's Bounce: A Case Study
Money isn't the only factor in a good education, but $5.2 million doesn't hurt, either.
Garbage to Gigawatts
With Mississippi outpacing other states when it comes to using electricity, a little creativity is necessary to keep up with demand. Increasingly, that means supplementing traditional hydro, coal and nuclear power with other forms of renewables-driven electricity powered by the sun, wind and even garbage.
Lannie Spann McBride
When Lannie Spann McBride speaks, her voice resonates with tones cultivated by a lifetime of singing the gospel. Her message of faith has touched the hearts of her students, and the hearts of people around the world.
Basic Pop in a Hissing Bubble
Dead Gaze is a pop band hiding under a pile of hiss and distortion. The brainchild of 27-year-old guitarist and singer Cole Furlow, the Oxford-based group employs fractured-sounding guitars, distorted vocals and countless swirling synthesizer sounds on its recordings. It's a psychedelic-influenced sound that evokes memories of the Flaming Lips. Despite the band's dense sound, Furlow sees his music as part of the pop-music continuum.
City Compromises with Occupy Protesters
Occupy Jackson will get to spend more time in Smith Park, although protesters will not get to stay overnight, as they had asked.