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Deadly Pet Food Filler Open Secret in China

It seems that all that "free trade"—and loss of American jobs and trading economic strength in our communities for sweat shops—is starting to come home to roost by killing our pets. As the JFP has been saying for years, folks: Think Global, Shop Local. And that doesn't mean chasing our manufacturers to other countries, Barbour, Clinton, et al. What goes around does indeed come around.

Bush Administration Should Come Clean

In the wake of the George Tenet explosion in Washington, The New York Times editorial board today calls for answers—honest ones—from the people who took the U.S. into a bad war with little regard for the truth, getting it or giving it:

"Wake Up Jackson" Campaign

Go here and help us let our local government know that no one is above the law.

Donna Ladd, Cedric Willis on ACLU Town Hall Panel Today

JFP Editor Donna Ladd will address issues about the media and crime today (Thursday, April 26) at 6 p.m. at an ACLU Town Hall Meeting at the Jackson Medical Mall. She will join Cedric Willis (exonerated after 12 years in Parchman); Jim Hill student Regina Smith, Akil Bakari of the Malcolm X Grassroots Movement and former JPD officer Kevin Levine. The panel and audience members will address police and civil liberties issues. Come lend your voice.

Not an Easy Subject

Her mother and three sisters died of breast cancer, yet Nancy Lewis of Canton refused for years to have a mammogram. "I really wouldn't want to know," said Lewis, when asked why she avoided the exam.

Journalist David Halberstam Killed in Car Wreck

This is tragic, tragic news. May this amazing journalist and writer rest in peace.

The Food Stamp Diet

For Hunger Awareness Week in Oregon, Gov. Ted Kulongowski will spend the week seeing what it is like to live off the food budget of a food stamp recipient to illustrate how important it is for Congress to not make cuts in the food stamp program. Could you do it?

Clapping from the Grave

This is a complicated crisis, but what baffles me is that the local corporate media make so little of this. They hardly mention it, and they never suggest that Gov. Haley Barbour's program for running state government has anything to do with our decline. Or rather, they never mentioned it until recently. I know The Clarion-Ledger has already declared a victor, but wouldn't it be better to have a real debate, where the candidates truly answer?

Could You Go Without Your Car for a Month?

My weekly sprint to WLEZ to do the radio show would need to be better planned.

Over at the Louisville Eccentric Observer, an alt-weekly in Kentucky, staff writer Stephen George is blogging about his attempts to go a month without his car in Louisville, relying on a bike and public transportation. As I read it, I started to wonder if I could get away with the same thing here in Jackson...and admit it would be extremely difficult. It's at least conceivable for folks living in the Belhaven/Fondren area -- plenty of choices by bike, bus -- and trolley! -- even if the UMC corridor is something of a drag strip (and hilly!). McDade's, Rainbow Co-Op and Walgreens are handy. Downtown meetings would be a possibility, although I'd probably encourage more folks to meet at our office or at Cups in Fondren. Sales calls, of course, would be difficult, and Office Depot runs would be up to someone else.

Radio JFP 4.20.07 Podcast

On the "Radio JFP on WLEZ" program today was Dr. James Bowley, associate professor of religious studies at Millsaps College. Tomorrow at 9:00a.m. Millsaps has a seminar entitled "The Psychology of Terrorism" that includes Dr. Bowley, Dr. Stephen T. Black and Mr. Akram Al-Turk for a discussion on the history of terrorism, what makes a terrorist, and potential solutions that states can take to deal with terrorism.

The ALLHIPHOP.com 100: A hiphop tutorial for the uninformed

From allhiphop.com folks, a little food for thought. please read and go find these songs!

We at AllHipHop.com surely do not condone the at times lewd, sexist and even racist verbiage rap artists sometimes use to express themselves artistically. At the same time, WE WILL NOT tolerate sweeping indictments of Hip-Hop culture as the root of greater society's ills. Next time some quick-on-the-trigger hater claims Hip-Hop is the cause of our moral demise, ask them if they've bothered to listen to any of THESE joints. We kept the suggested tunes up to date while throwing in some notable classic joints for good measure. In fact, print this out and tell the hot air blower to consider it homework.

ARTICLE: The VTI Tragedy: Distinguishing Mental Illness from Violence

According to NAMI Medical Director Dr. Ken Duckworth, having a mental illness does not automatically make you a violent person. Read the release from NAMI below.

More Ledger Illiteracy

OK, folks, check out The Clarion-Ledger's editorial about Melton today—for the way it is written. Here are some money quotes:

Clarion-Ledger Makes Absurd Error About ‘Drunk' Motion

In their belated story today about the motion filed accusing Melton being drunk the night of the Ridgeway rampage—which we reported about Friday—The Clarion-Ledger states that the motion "became public" Monday. This is either a lie, or a really dumb error. When Adam Lynch left Judge Webster's courtroom before noon Friday, he walked downstairs to the clerk's office, and there was the motion in the file. He copied it and brought it back; Brian made a PDF and put it online.

'Daily Show' Viewers More Informed than Fox, Local Viewers

Interesting piece in the New York Times (thanks, Kate!), notes that the most informed news consumers also have the highest tendency to watch fake news shows.

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