All results / Stories / Donna Ladd
Poll: Bush 'Out of Step' with U.S. Needs
The latest New York Times/CBS News Poll finds that Americans are increasingly deciding that President Bush's policies are out of step with the needs of the country:
Pro-Life Mississippi: 'A Moderate Will Not Do'
July 1, 2005/verbatim: In light of Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'Connor's resignation announcement, Terri Herring, president of Pro-Life Mississippi, writes:
It's Mourning in America
Rick Perlstein of The Village Voice writes:
Report: Saddam Not In Pursuit of Weapons
AP is reporting: "Undercutting the Bush's administration's rationale for invading Iraq, the final report of the chief U.S. arms inspector concludes that Saddam Hussein did not vigorously pursue a program to develop weapons of mass destruction when international inspectors left Baghdad in 1998, an administration official said Wednesday. In drafts, weapons hunter Charles Duelfer concluded that Saddam's Iraq had no stockpiles of the banned weapons but said he found signs of idle programs that Saddam could have revived once international attention waned. 'It appears that he did not vigorously pursue those programs after the inspectors left, the official said, speaking on condition of anonymity in advance of the report's release. Duelfer, head of the Iraq Survey Group, was providing his findings Wednesday to the Senate Armed Services Committee. His team has compiled a 1,500-page report. Duelfer's predecessor, David Kay, who quit last December, also found no evidence of weapons stockpiles."
"Fahrenheit 601": JFP Readers Want Film in Jackson
Here's the blog that has Jackson talking; originally posted June 19, 2004, this thread spawned a movement to bring "Fahrenheit 9/11" to Jackson. Now the energy has turned to bringing more independent film to the area. Read this thread to see how this grass-roots community effort came about. Be sure to support independent film (and media, and all local businesses, while you're at it). And join Crossroads Film Society if you're really interested in good indie film.
Mayor Declares a State of Emergency, Watching Pearl River
This morning Mayor Harvey Johnson, Jr. declared a State of Emergency for the city of Jackson as a precautionary measure in light of the recent storm. There have been some reports of flash flooding and several downed trees. City crews are working to clear any streets and we have been in contact with Entergy about downed power lines. We anticipate the bulk of the rain to moving out of the area this afternoon. However, the City urges residents to continue to be cautious and to be on the lookout of any flooded streets or low lying areas.
[Balko] How Drug Cops Go Bad
If you browse the website of Law Enforcement Against Prohibition (LEAP), you will notice a conspicuous theme: The war on drugs is corrupting America's cops.
Tearing Down the Wrong Walls
Out of all the disturbing things emerging in Mayor Frank Melton's trial this week, the worst to me has been Michael Taylor's testimony that he lived with the mayor for a year and a half or so when he was a minor and never attended high school.
Mr. Dylan, Mr. Evers
A bullet from the back of a bush took Medgar Evers' blood.A hand set the spark Two eyes took the aim Behind a man's brain But he can't be blamed He's only a pawn in their game. —" Only A Pawn in their Game," Bob Dylan, 1963
Bigotry of Low Expectations
I was about to start my second year at Mississippi State when Ronald Reagan came to the Neshoba County Fair in 1980. My gut instincts told me one thing. "The Republicans are playing Mississippians for fools," I told my oldest brother then. He was a Reagan supporter, but he later tended to agree with me about the Gipper. My naïve hunch played out. No matter how many syrupy, lemonade-soaked reminiscences of that visit we read about now from one Fair cabin owner or another (the "elite" of Neshoba County), the net result of that visit hasn't been pretty.
The Eye of the Needle
I usually ponder, ruminate, tweet, blog, joke and seethe about some or another issue for a week or more before I write a new editor's note. This week, though, I had trouble locking onto a topic--probably because I'm so sick of divisive politics that my brain feels like just vegging in front of an Ashton Kutcher TV show with the rest of America.
Family Values
Our history as a state and a nation is filled with atrocious efforts to destroy the self-esteem of black men. During the entire arc of slavery and then Jim Crow laws--which did not end until the U.S. Supreme Court finally acted in December 1970, sending thousands of Jackson families fleeing to the suburbs and white academies--white supremacists worked diligently to de-moralize and criminalize black men. Their excuse was fear that those men would rape women with my skin color, even as many of the white bigots raped and impregnated black women that they "owned."
My Kind of Tea Party
Recently, I was asked to appear on a local cable talk show to talk about issues of the day. I didn't think much about it; it sounded easy and innocent enough. And I was busy and didn't bother to ask who I was appearing on the show alongside.
Barbour, Voter Intimidation Is Wrong, Cowardly
Gov. Haley Barbour is the latest Republican official to climb aboard the anti-voting sleaze machine and needs to climb off post-haste and do everything possible to ensure that every eligible Mississippi gets the opportunity to vote. This is no timethere is never a time, in factfor the governor of a state to play partisan politics with the electorate, but it seems that is exactly what our esteemed governor is doing.
GOP: Watch the Racist Talking Points
Just hours after the Dow closed Monday down 777 points, a JFP reader posted the "reason" for the financial crisis on our Web site: "The subprime mortgage gateway was led by Democrats (Carter, then Clinton) insistent on the theory (while noble) that everyone should be able to buy a home. Not everyone can." This sounds innocent enough. But it is vital to read the fine print.
Creative Loafing: 'Racial Healing In Mississippi'
Creative Loafing editor and blogger John Sugg has published a cover story about the Killen trial, with an intriguing comparison of Killen and Dick Molpus, in the Creative Loafing papers in Atlanta, Tampa, Fla., and Charlotte, N.C. He writes:
Money Management Tips for the Newly Unemployed
Jackson, Miss.--- November 7, 2008 With the nation's unemployment remaining high, Consumer Credit Counseling Service (CCCS) of Jackson today reminds people who have lost their jobs to continue paying their bills on time and managing their credit wisely during this difficult period. Managing your credit during unemployment is critical since having good credit is a requirement for some jobs. "Some people have the professional and education background for a new position, but may have an inability to pay bills on time," says Sherry Rainey, CCCS of Jackson president. "Failing to manage your finances during unemployment could affect your credit report and hurt your chances of landing a new job."
Former Banker Now VP at Highland Village
[Verbatim from Highland Village] Guy Boyll III has been appointed Vice-President of Operations for Highland Village in an announcement today by the retail center. Mr. Boyll has nine years of banking experience and was previously First Vice-President and Loan Officer of BankPlus. He started his banking career at Trustmark National Bank as a credit analyst and advanced to Vice President in Correspondent/Corporate Services.
Medicare In Trouble, Thanks to Health Costs and New Medicare Law
Let me guess: federal tort reform is the cure-all? NY Times reports: "Medicare's financial condition has significantly deteriorated, partly because of exploding health costs and partly because of the new Medicare law, the government reported on Tuesday. In its annual report to Congress, the Medicare board of trustees said the program's hospital insurance trust fund could run out of money before the end of the next decade. The trustees have made such projections in the past, but this one was much bleaker than the outlook reported just last year.
BREAKING: Melton Wants 'Extraordinary Relief'
The intrigue increases as the city watches to see if our mayor will be arrested for violating his probation. Attorneys for Mayor Frank Melton have filed an "emergency application for extraordinary relief," saying that Judge Tomie Green filed a decision with the circuit clerk yesterday that, in effect, would have given the Mississippi Supreme Court the jurisdiction to remove her from Melton's case. But, they say, she took back the motion at the end of the day.