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[Tech Talk] Kindle Fire: Better Than Its Reviews

When Amazon first announced the Kindle Fire in September, tech blogs and reviewers met the news with plenty of fanfare. If any company was able to deliver a device that could rival Apple's iPad, surely it was Amazon.

Kindle Fire: Better Than Its Reviews

When Amazon first announced the Kindle Fire in September, tech blogs and reviewers met the news with plenty of fanfare. If any company was able to deliver a device that could rival Apple's iPad, surely it was Amazon.

Evernote: Remember Stuff Everywhere

I learned an interesting tidbit about Evernote in an Inc. Magazine story about the company: From their market research, Evernote's management knows that many of their customers don't "get" Evernote the first time they use it. But, unlike many of today's cloud-based productivity apps, a lot of those lost customers return and find the product does make sense.

How We Must Respond to Haley Barbour's Pardons

It is heartening to see so many people in Mississippi and beyond respond with outrage over former Gov. Haley Barbour's pardons of so many men who killed wives and girlfriends, in addition to other murderers and sexual predators. We wish this outrage would have happened nearly four years, and perhaps it would have had the mainstream media followed our lead and reported that all but one of the murderers Barbour had helped in 2008 were brutal woman killers. Coupled with the effort to bring Personhood to Mississippi, thus endangering women's lives and livelihoods (which was pushed by our new governor and ultimately by Barbour, along with scores of other male politicians), this all sends a terrifying message to women in Mississippi, for themselves, their loved ones and their children. Men are frightened and outraged, too, as they should be. You see very few people of any political party right now here who isn't angry at Barbour.

Why Did He Do It?

This morning, in the wake of Haley Barbour's Pardongate, an old joke popped into my head.

Why does a dog lick his balls?

Barbour Pardons Enough for 20 Football Teams

If you counted up all the pardons and sentence suspensions -- 222, over eight years -- Haley Barbour made as governor, you'd have enough for 20 football teams. And if gubernatorial pardons were a sporting contest, Barbour would be accused of unfairly running up the score on his fellow governors. According to various media reports: Barbour's fellow Republican Gov. Kirk Fordice issued one football team-worth of pardons (13) while Gov. Ronnie Musgrove, a Democrat and Barbour's immediate predecessor, issued only one. Democratic Gov. Ray Mabus, who is currently President Barack Obama's Secretary of the Navy, issued four pardons.

Pardons: ‘The Coward's Way Out'

Also see: JFP investigation of Barbour's 2008 Pardons of Domestic Killers

Reaching Fathers: John Taylor Jr. Runs for Ward 3 Seat

Family is a running theme for the Rev. John Taylor Jr. The 29-year-old candidate for Kenneth Stokes' Ward 3 Jackson City Council seat believes a lot of Jackson's problems start with fathers who don't take responsibility.

Brenda Wilder

This month, Brenda Wilder, assistant professor of music at Tougaloo College, will present her research project, "The Effects of Music for Mental, Emotional and Physical Healing of Residents on the Mississippi and Louisiana Gulf Coasts Following Hurricane Katrina," at the Hawaii University International Conference on Arts and Humanities.

Phil Bryant is the Governor

Here's the full text of Gov. Phil Bryant's inauguration speech from Bryant's website. The ceremonies, planned for the south step of the Capitol had to be moved into the House chamber due to rain.

Barbour to DV Victims: ‘You Can't Trust Us'

Also see: JFP Domestic Abuse Archive and 2008 investigation of Barbour's domestic pardons.

Sports, Stennis and a Saloon

SportsEvents magazine, an industry publication for sports event planners, has named Jackson as one of the top destinations for sports events in its 2012 Readers' Choice Awards issue.

Devon Desper

On Jan. 5, some of the best high-school football talent descended on Orlando, Fla., for the 2012 Under Armour All-American game. This game started in 2008 under the sponsorship of athletic clothing and shoe company Under Armour. Athletes were showcased to a national television audience, and several even declared their college choice during the game.

Barbour Pardons Two More Woman Killers

Gov. Haley Barbour's going-away present for Mississippi is to put a trio of convicted murderers back out on our streets, including two more who brutally murdered the women in their lives.

Sending out a Sears SOS

With future generations of Jacksonians potentially left with no place to buy Wrangler jeans, Kardashian Kollection accessories, large appliances and power saws, a city of Jackson-sponsored effort is now afoot to prevent the closure of the Sears department store at Metrocenter Mall.

Thalia Mara Makeover?

A group of organizations has offered to help the city raise money to refurbish Thalia Mara Hall. At a City Council meeting this morning, supporters of the project said they hope renovating the auditorium will breathe life into the downtown's blossoming "arts and cultural district" ahead of the 2014 International Ballet Competition.

John Taylor Jr.

Family is a running theme for the Rev. John Taylor Jr. The 29-year-old candidate for the Ward 3 City Council seat believes a lot of Jackson's problems start with fathers who don't take responsibility.

Community Events and Public Meetings

Events at Fleet Feet Sports (Trace Station, 500 Highway 51 N., Ridgeland). Free; call 601-899-9696.

Reeves Bipartisan in Chair Assignments

Calling it a leadership team that represents both the Mississippi Senate and the state, Lt. Gov. Tate Reeves unveiled his appointments of committee chairs, vice-chairs and members at the Capitol this morning.

Personhood Stalled in Nevada, Arkansas

As Mississippi voters rejected a proposed personhood amendment last November, Personhood USA and other supporters of the measure already had plans underway to promote similar initiatives in other states.

Business Leaders: Education Top Economic Priority

A report on Mississippi's economy lists education, work-force development, and strengthening and expanding the economy at the top of a list of goals for the state's future.

Jackson Crime Down, Maybe

Read the full report here. (pdf 553 KB)

Sheila Bedi

On Nov. 29, Sheila Bedi testified before the Attorney General's National Task Force on Children Exposed to Violence in Baltimore, Md.

Arkansas AG Tells Personhood to ‘Redesign' Proposed Ballot Initiative

Earlier this week, Arkansas Attorney General Dustin McDaniel sent sponsors of a proposed personhood ballot amendment back to the drawing board.

Barbour to Lawmakers: Think About Online Taxes

Republican Gov. Haley Barbour, who completes an eight-year run as governor next week, addressed a joint session of the Mississippi Legislature this morning for the final time as governor. Barbour will be replaced next week when Lt. Gov. Phil Bryant is sworn in as governor at noon on Jan. 10.

Not Your Ordinary Cable Network

Cable-television networks such as Nickelodeon and the Discovery Channel should serve as economic models for public broadcasting, Gov. Haley Barbour quipped recently.

Jim Barksdale to Head MDA

Verbatim Statement from the Phil Bryant Transition team:

Governor-elect Phil Bryant appointed Jim Barksdale Interim Executive Director of the Mississippi Development Authority at a 2 p.m. press conference on Jan. 4 in Jackson. Barksdale, former President and CEO of Netscape Communications Corp., will succeed Leland Speed as chief of the agency that leads Mississippi's economic development efforts.

Stampede

Republicans proved they can win elections. Now they must prove they can govern.

On Dec. 20, Haley Barbour stepped to the podium on the 18th floor of the Walter Sillers building to make his final budget recommendation to reporters—and started hacking away at state agencies.

A Wish List for DV Legislation

With all the new faces in the Mississippi Legislature this year, advocates for new and strengthened laws to protect victims of domestic violence are being non-committal about the specific legislation they plan to introduce during this year's session.

Of Mergers and MAEP

As the Mississippi Legislature writes the 2013 budget, funding for public schools is likely to be up for debate. Specifically, legislators will consider how much funding to put toward the Mississippi Adequate Education Program, which makes up the bulk of public K-12 funding.

Ellington