Jackblog

All Time Favorite Melton Moment

Its the one where Melton pulls over four school buses so he can touch the children.

Okay, this piece in the Clarion Ledger is now officially my "all time favorite Melton moment".

Public Eye Opens

April 26, 2006 We are the watchers, our eyes fixed on the halls of power. Democracy means majority rule, but we live in a republic of laws. Whether I vote for a Republican or a Democrat, (and if we had more democracy, we could choose between more than two), I expect all to follow the rules. That means no bribes, even if they're legalized as campaign contributions. We cannot stop it, but we have every right to watch it, to witness what money does in the public's name. It means that meetings are open to the public unless there is very good reason to keep them private. It means that we have the right to know what our leaders make for serving us, what titles they claim. We have the right to know where they went to school, why they're qualified for the job. This is our community. Crime statistics, city contracts, gun permits; all belong to us, and anyone who makes public records a secret steals from our democracy.

The Littlest Litigators

May 3, 2006 Eleven states are now considering bills that severely restrict abortion. Six of the 11 only allow abortion when the mother's life is at stake. Another four declare that life begins at fertilization, which must make fertility clinics, with their thousands of frozen, single-cell citizens awfully nervous. What if one of the embryos hires a lawyer?

Boot Scootin' Murder

I found this AP piece online.

Mississippi is….WHERE?

The Associated Press is reporting the following:

Despite the wall-to-wall coverage of the damage from Hurricane Katrina, nearly one-third of young Americans recently polled couldn't locate Louisiana on a map and nearly half were unable to identify Mississippi.

Read This. Get Angry.

This is a good piece by Charlie Savage in the Boston Globe.

Metal Gear?!!

Word on the streets is, Kojima's confirmed a film adaptation of the legendary MGS series, accompanied by bells tolling and cheering masses. I'm not quite sure about this one yet, so stay tuned.

Oprah Crashes and Burns with Hiphop Artists 50 Cent and Ludacris

Read what 50 Cent and Ludacris have to say:

This is an interesting read, and I have to admit that from what I have seen on her shows, the artists interviewed have a point. Oprah, though I see her as an inspiration and role model, does seem to have a certain perception of hiphop artists.

Claritas and Hurricane Katrina

April 26, 2006 Claritas recently produced a census revealing that the Jackson metro area has taken in some 20,000 evacuees from Hurricane Katrina. This is 5 percent of Jackson's population, which means that on a per capita basis, Jackson has taken in more evacuees than all but a few urban areas. (Hattiesburg-Laurel tops the list with a whopping 10 percent growth in population.)

NAMIWalks for the Mind of America: Help me "Stomp Out The Stigma of Mental Illness"!

I am writing you today to tell you about an upcoming event that I am

I am participating for the third time because I am a member of NAMI, and I have struggled in the past with panic attacks, depression and suicide. Because of my struggles, I have seen the shortcomings in how mental illness is dealt with in our society, and I want to help change that.

C. A. Webb is proud to release his new novella DESTINY'S CHILD

Amanda, "The End Poet," hosts a poetry reading the first Saturday of

on Saturday, May 6, 2006 at 6p.m. He will be releasing preview copies of his new emotionally-charged novella DESTINY'S CHILD that evening. For details contact Amanda "End Poet"

Surviving the Judas Kiss

SURVIVING THE 'JUDAS KISS' ON YOUR BUSINESS

He had worked hard for over three years. The work he had accomplished had gained him mixed reactions from those that he came in contact with. Some saw him as a know-it-all, a nuisance. Others respected what he had to say, giving him the title of The Greatest Teacher.

I Look Like WHO???!!!

A new (partially in beta) site, http://www.myheritage.com, offers the use of face recognition software to help in genealogical research. If you think that's interesting, they also offer a free face recognition scan so you can see which celebrity you resemble. Wild, huh?

Ladd's Barbara Blackmon Show Spot Re-Airs Wednesday

This show is re-airing on Public Access in Jackson Wednesday, April 19, at 7:30 p.m.

The Euston Manifesto

I signed this manifesto because, as anyone familiar with my posts knows, it reflects pretty much exactly what I've been saying again and again since 9/11. If you'd also like to get on board after reading this, click here to sign. This is going to be big, folks. Text below: