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50 Governors Oppose Bush's Guard Cuts
AP is reporting:
Governors crossing party lines are criticizing Bush administration policies on the National Guard, questioning a budget plan they say will cut Guard strength and leave states less able to respond to homegrown emergencies like hurricanes or a feared pandemic. The state leaders, attending the winter meeting of the National Governors Association, hoped for answers from President Bush and Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld at a White House gathering Monday. "We're going to fight that tooth and nail," said Republican Gov. Bob Taft of Ohio. "The National Guard is not just important from the standpoint of disaster response in the state of Ohio, and homeland security, but is crucial for overall military preparedness. It would be a real mistake to cut back."
Clarion-Ledger Asks, Answers, Whines Anyway
In one of those nonsensical editorials today we all know and dread—there they go sticking their finger in the wind again—The Clarion-Ledger asks: "Banyard: Why Does Justice Take So Long?" They are talking about the 13-year-old who killed the pizza delivery man, and now is going to prison for life without parole. He is 17 now. They then answer their own question of what it took for four years:
Clarion-Ledger ‘Shopping' Section Ignores Local Stores
The Clarion-Ledger tried to make a big deal out of new pages it was added to the Sunday edition, so we grabbed one to see what the big deal was. It turned out to be much ado about nothing. They have a page called "Dining/Shopping/Events" with the predictable kinds of Southern Style features they've already done. (Making us wonder if they're canning the Weekend section or such.) Ho, hum.
Lunacy: Tea Party Wants to Scrub Slavery History from Textbooks
It was bad enough when Gov. Haley Barbour tried to pretend the Citizens Council were the good guys. It's bad enough when people go around saying that the Civil War and Confederacy had nothing to do with slavery. (Right: read this.) Now, we have the Tea Party up in Tennessee (and probably elsewhere) trying to rewrite the history books to take out the stuff that makes them really uncomfortable. Folks, read Orwell. We can't throw our history down the "memory hole"--if we do, we damn sure are doomed to repeat it.
‘No Child Left Behind' Favoring White Kids
OK, this is just what I was talking about at the end of my recent column, "For These Are All Our Children": A new Harvard study is finding that 'No Child Left Behind' is benefitting white kids more than kids of color—as certain schools are allowed to negotiate around the requirements of NCLB. (See Barbour's efforts to give "good" schools "home rule.") This stinks, people. Racism is becoming much more sophisticated these days.
MIT Prof Takes on Real Iraqi War Death Toll
Is it a "right-wing conspiracy"? John Tirman, executive director of MIT's Center for International Studies, thinks so. Get his take on Alternet.
Note: All posts below this one are for previous Chick Balls!
Read and enjoy info about previous Chick Ball, but see the top few posts at http://www.jfpchickball.com for current information!
Bill Minor on the Willie Morris Library
I just ran into Mr. Minor's column about the Willie Morris library dedication. And I'm honored that he repeated what I told him at the dedication in it. The Jackson Free Press is also honored that Mr. Minor has offered us the use of his long-time desk in the media room in the Capitol this legislative session. We'll do our best to deserve to sit in it!
Barbour Attacks Eaves for Suing the Military; Eaves Responds
In recent TV ads, Gov. Haley Barbour feigns outrage at his opponent for suing the military as a trial attorney. Eaves responds in an e-mail and TV spot that indicates that Barbour isn't explaining why he sued the Pentagon:
AP Poll: Obama ‘Best Hope'
A new Associated Press poll finds that, despite petty controversies like the dust-up over his preacher, Barack Obama has become the candidate that most Democrats believe has the best chance of beating John McCain in November. And that is despite the fact that 15 percent actually believe he is Muslim:
Rove and Melton Facing Music the Same Day?
In a world where we all have spent a lot of time in recent years waiting for a reckoning for injustice, it is quite possible that the Jackson mayor and former President Bush's hatchet man will appear before a judge the same dayFeb. 2. The Associated Press is reporting about Karl Rove:
For Whom the Cowbell Tolls: State Ranked 24th After Beating Gators
Alright now: Mississippi State #24 in Coaches, AP Polls. Them's my dawgs.
5th Annual JFP Chick Ball *Weekend* Coming July 25-26
The 5th Annual Chick Ball will be Saturday, July 25, and will again benefit the Center for Violence Prevention. We bought them a new mini-van last year; this year our goal is to raise at least $20,000 in seed money for Jackson's first batterer intervention program. In addition to the ball itself, form 6 p.m. to 1 a.m., this year we are adding a special play performance on Friday, July 24, at Hal & Mal's, as well as Saturday events for teens. Watch for more details! Right now, though, we need you to volunteer, donate prizes or become a sponsor (starts at $50 up to $2,500+ to be a diva sponsor). And sign up for our Twitter feed @jfpchickball so you don't miss anything.
Shop, Girl: Oooo, Raspberry Purses!
OK, grrls, here's your open thread for shopping this week. One can't talk about politics and philosophy all the time, you know.
JFP Debuts New Chick Blog
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Announcing our brand-new Chick Blog, a fun and serious collection of writings and blogs by and about women. You won't just find stories about lip gloss here, but you'll find some of those, too. Enjoy, my chickadees, and the men who are obsessed with us. You're welcome in the Chick Chamber, too, as long as you're respectful of the grrls in charge.
Stop the ‘Boys Will Be Boys' Attitude; It Kills Women
As we approach Chick Ball weekendstarting with a poignant one-woman show about a victim of domestic abuse and ending with a celebration of women and their artI urge everyone to think back to September 2007 when Doris Shavers and Heather Spencer were brutally murdered by men who had supposedly loved them. The JFP did a detailed investigative narrative within days of those murders that showed that domestic abuse happens in all neighborhoods to all income levels, it a pattern that needs to be stopped, and is often not taken seriously by law enforcement (shown poignantly by documents in the story we obtained that showed how authorities mishandled the case after George Bell nearly killed Heather Spencer just weeks before he finished the job).
Icky: ‘Heritage' Operative on Barbour's Staff
Just when you thought that the past was another half-mile behind us, something like this comes to light. The Associated Press reported:
‘It Just Looks Really Bad'
The picture of how this city (and state?) treats sex with minors is very disturbing to me. Witness this article today about the police officers who allegedly had sex with the 15-year-old who was killed. Attorney Robert Clark says this about his client, police officer Maurice Clark, who is resigning after being accused of having sex with the child:
It's Official: The Ledger Thinks Readers Are Stupid
In an editorial today, we learn just what The Clarion-Ledger edit-boys really think of their readers, in and outside the city:
FDA Protecting Industry Before Consumers?
The New York Times is editorializing about serious problems in food-safety regulation reported by USA Today: