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Lori Gregory and Emily Braden Guests on Radio JFP Friday

Join JFP columnists and chicks-about-town Lori Gregory and Emily Braden Friday at noon on Radio JFP. They will draw on their social worker and teacher experiences in Jackson to talk about problems facing inner-city young people and what you can do to help. Donna Ladd and Todd Stauffer host. The show is on WLEZ-FM, 103.7 from noon to 1 p.m., and stream live at http://www.wlezfm.com . Tune in!

Come FLY with us: What to Make from Old Sweaters?

OK, here's a Fly question of the week. We have two old wool men's sweaters here with a few holes in them (moths?). One is black; one is gray. What kind of DIY project would you use them for?

Miss. No. 1 in Past Due Mortgages; No. 8 in Foreclosures

According to a new report (pdf) by the Mississippi Economic Policy Center, "Mississippi has the eighth highest foreclosure rate and the highest percentage of borrowers with past due home loan payments in the country. The high rate of delinquency coupled with a very high rate of subprime, or high cost, lending suggests that Mississippi is likely to experience increasing rates of foreclosures in the months to come," the MEPC said in a release.

Flashback: JFP Cover Story, March 19, 2003

As the Jackson Free Press prepared to go to press five years ago this week, we knew that the U.S. invasion of Iraq was immiment. Even as most of the media supported Bush's war, and dissent was unpopular, our consciences told us to speak out against the war, even though we were only a few months old. So we pulled our cover story (about Chief Robert Moore and Jackson crime hysteria; ran the next week), and published this piece instead, "13 Myths About War in Iraq." The cover was an overlay of the word "WAR" over photographs Jaro Vacek had taken of small, local anti-war vigils.

Which is Worse: An Uninformed Electorate or a Bad Newspaper?

The Clarion-Ledger today has a somewhat-admirable editorial blasting the Legislature for passing such a stupid anti-immigration bill. It's called "Immigration: Pandering to fears is shameful." It starts out:

Calling All Shoes! Still Accepting!

Northwest Rankin senior Alecia Edney needs your help. For her senior project, she is collecting used (or new) shoes for women and children to donate to the Center for Violence Prevention, the shelter that the JFP works with to raise money. I met Alecia at the Flowood library in November when Sandy Middleton of the Center and I were on a panel about domestic violence, and she was in the audience and waited afterward to talk to me about wanting to make a difference. I urge all of you to search through your closets to help Alecia meet her goal of 500 pairs of shoes by March 15. I have offered the JFP offices as a collection spot for the shoes. So please drop them off here between 9 and 6 Monday through Friday, or call or e-mail to arrange a good time: 601.362.6121 ext. 2 or sage (at) jacksonfreepress (dot) com.

David Paterson sworn in as NY Governor today

Lieutenant Governor David Paterson became the fourth black person in the state and first visually impaired person in the nation to hold the title. Although he became governor due to the resignation of Eliot Spitzer, Paterson still spoke optimistically about the future of New York, with a sense of humor to boot.

My St. Paddy's Day Parade Photo Album

On Friday afternoon, I decided at the last minute to participate in the parade on Saturday. Since this is not something I do on a regular basis, I decided to bring the camera along and take a few snapshots for posterity.

U.S. House to Consider FISA Bill Sans Telco Immunity

The bill is coming out of committee in the House and should get a floor vote this afternoon. It grants the president many of the powers he wants for roving wiretaps, but it doesn't immunize the phone companies for going along with the administration's previously illegal use of those powers.

Need a Crazy Paddy's Crown? Then D.I.Y.

Don't miss our gallery of "Head Games" crowns that we put together this issue. Much of the JFP staff let me do really crazy things to their heads, and the result is pretty fun. Enjoy.

Chick Talk on Radio JFP; Ladd on San Francisco Talk Show

Tune in as Laurel Isbister, Maggie Burks, Kimberly Griffin and Sage Carter-Hooey talk about stuff we chicks care about—the St. Paddy's Parade, shoes and presidential politics, among them—Friday at noon on Radio JFP on WLEZ, 103.7 FM. (Streams live at http://www.wlezfm.com)

Join the JFP Tonight at Pi(e) Lounge

The JFP's monthly Lounge is tonight—Thursday, March 13—at Pi(e) Lounge, Sal & Mookie's new tres-chic cocktail spot. Please join us 6 to 9 p.m. for a specially designed "creative class" cocktail concocted in honor of the JFP (we haven't even tried it yet!), and free munchies. And if you haven't been to Pi(e), yet, now is your chance to visit the hottest little watering hole in town. Oh, and there are also tables out front for what looks to be a gorgeous night. Please join us!

Who Are Mississippi's Top Sports Heroes of All Time?

Folks, we're preparing a special sports issue and want to get your nominations of the best sports heroes from/in Mississippi of all time. Talk to us.

Are ‘HillPublicans' True Dumba$$es?

Just ponderin'. (See Alternet article).

OK, if all these desperate Republicans are going to follow Rush Limbaugh's advice and turn out to vote for Hillary Clinton in order to try to keep Obama (and his turnout) from beating McCain in November, then why in holy hell don't they *not* telling the exit pollsters what they're up to? Because, uh, doesn't it rather negate the purpose of trying to get Democrats to think that Clinton is more electable (when she's not) by 'fessing up to your crossover-crime as soon as you leave the poll booth? I'm thinking this just makes the Republican Party look kinda out of tricks, no?

The Nation Blogs on the ‘Hell-Raising' JFP

This is how he starts out:

Folks, Bob Moser at The Nation is blogging about our Obama commentary last night, quoting from us liberally (which he asked permission to do because he is a class act). Check it out. (I bet it's the first time that Pike-the-Republican has been quoted by The Nation!). I like the "hell-raising" part, I must say.

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