Jackblog

Leave Them Alone

I am very upset this morning - I can't even put into words how upset I really am. My older sister's home was broken into for the third time last night, and this time they went too far.

Blog about ‘State of the State' on StateDesk

A skunk need a ride home. Any takers?

In California, a skunk wondered his way into a transport truck, and after a seven-day trip, he ended up in Canada. Now Canadian wildlife specialists are trying to find someone who isn't afraid of being sprayed to take him back to California. Good luck with that one.

3pm Sunday - Ecumenical Martin Luther King Day Service

On Sunday, January 14th at 3:00pm, the Roman Catholic Diocese of Jackson presents "Lift Every Voice: Breaking Barriers to Understanding," an ecumenical service honoring Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Speakers include Bishop Joseph Latino of the Roman Catholic Diocese, the Rev. Jermaine Zanders of Bethany United Methodist Church in New Orleans, and the Rev. Jacqueline Luck of the Unitarian Universalist Church of Jackson.

Stupid Quote o' The Day

Yes, it was uttered by President Bush while trying to defend his plan to ramp up forces in Iraq against bipartisan opposition—and it's a doozy, even for a man known for really stupid statements. As quoted by the Associated Press:

The Divine Right of Mayors

As every student of history knows, most of humanity's governments have been led by men who believed their authority derived from a "Divine Right of Kings." The rule of law did not exist, as "law" was simply whatever the king felt suited his purposes.

Kids Writing Novels

I met a batch of fourth and fifth graders today who spent November writing novels. Novels. Their teachers enlisted them in this program NanoWrimo, wherein you write 30 minutes a day on a novel.

Bush Tax Cuts Make Richest Richer, Middle Class Poorer

Big surprise, but here's the evidence from the congressional budget office that Bush's tax cuts are hurting the middle class and increasing economic inequality in the country:

The Sister Study

Here's a way you can make a difference if you are the sister of a woman who has been diagnosed with breast cancer. The National Institutes of Environmental Health Services, part of NIH, is looking for 50,000 women to participate in The Sister Study in 2007. The study focuses on the environmental and genetic risks for breast cancer.

StateDesk.com, Powered by the JFP, Debuts Today

OK, being that y'all blogheads deserve to be the first to know about our various online shenanigans, allow me to introduce you to the state's brand-new political wire, StateDesk.com. It's in beta stage, of course, and we're still getting its bells and whistles loaded up (lots of surprises ahead), but we've started linking the state's political headlines around the state and blogging on what's happening at the Legislature and in state political races.

Welcome to Wellness

Greetings gentlefolk, and welcome to my Wellness blog.

As my good friend Terry said to me over the holidays, "You can't make a difference when everyone agrees with you." Amen to that, sister. And what better place to make a difference than in the health and well-being of the people of Mississippi. As corny as that may sound, I may have found my purpose for being here. Let's ignore the fact that it only took 10 years (I'm a late bloomer, OK?) and a mid-life crisis that Jung would be proud of the get me to this place.

Kamikaze on Kim Wade Show This Thurs-Fri. 5pm

We'll be back at it again THIS THURS and FRI at 5pm on the Kim Wade show (WJNT 1180AM/103.3FM) Been getting some great responses and I hope th JFP bloggers will tune and voice some opinions(on the site and on the show) The broadcast can now be heard (a lot clearer too I might add) on FM 103.3 at 5 p.m. each day along with its usual 1180AM spot!

Killing Them with Compassion

The Iraq War is horrific, no question--3,000 U.S. soldiers dead, an untold number of civilian casualties. 9/11 was horrific, no question--2,992 people dead. But the new Democratic Congress may soon do something that will kill far, far more.

Why Won't Ledge Identify Press Releases!?!

OK, this practice has long bugged me, but now it's really driving me crazy. Now that The Clarion-Ledger is turning its newspaper into "information centers," they are posting press releases throughout the day under the header "breaking news headlines," with a few actual news updates mixed in. OK, that's tricky enough, but when you click to the press releases, they do nothing to actually tell readers that they are press releases. They don't say "verbatim," they don't mark them "press release." They just post them with a byline that reads: "The Clarion-Ledger." No, it's not written by "The Clarion-Ledger"; it's written by a PR flack and then pasted in. I don't have a problem with them posting releases (if they actually have substance or relevance), but why the deception on the fact that they are just press releases!?! This is about as far from good, or civic, journalism as you can get. Do they think we're idiots out here?

Ellington