High Tech, Free Trade and ‘New Labor'
The blogosphere seems a bit a-flutter over the dawning awareness that an increasing number of "knowledge worker" jobs -- mostly high-tech -- are being outsourced by American corporations to other countries such as India. Democratic presidential primary candidates are bring it up in their stump speeches and materials. Meanwhile, White House econ adviser Gregory Mankiw is getting slapped around by some bloggers and columnists for making the argument that outsourcing these jobs has long-term merit. (It may, in an economists' world-view sense, but not in a "they're closing the plant and we can't money out of our house and how are the kids going to eat" sense.)
Andy Sullivan Turns On Bush
Andrew Sullivan, the (mostly) conservative warblogger and pundit, has written a piece for the New Republic called Attention Deficit, vigorously taking issue with Bush's recent appearance on Meet the Press.
Kerry Gets Endorsements; Dean Shakes Up Staff
In the aftermath of New Hampshire, where Sen. John Kerry won 39% of the vote (and 14 delegates), Kerry has received the endorsements of Senators Jean Carnahan and Tom Eagleton in Missouri, and may received one from Representative Jim Clyburn of South Carolina. Iowa Governor Tom Vilsack gave him the nod as well. Read the report.
Krugman on the Republi-‘Con'
No, George W. Bush clearly is not a fiscal conservative, says Paul Krugman writing today in the NYTimes, the same day the Congressional Budget Office re-released it's 2004 budget deficit projections at $477 billion (and $2.4 trillion over the next decade). But, Krugman says, it's absurd to think the answer is to simply to cut spending on social programs.
Take That, Mad Cow
Somehow being a vegetarian also makes me a Father Confessor—people constantly tell me their diet-altering plans, even in polite conversation. Well, what with the New Year and Mad Cow, the din of discussion from those deciding to carve a little bovine muscle out of their diets is growing slightly louder. In response I say, "Hooray!" and offer some street-level suggestions to anyone trying to cut meat from their diets.
[Drive] The Other Mini
It occurred to me the other day, as I climbed into Ms. K's new Toyota Sienna to take it for a spin, that I haven't reviewed a minivan in at least half a decade, and I haven't been inside one in years. The last time time I was up-close-and-personal with such a personnel transporter was when Ms. D and I still lived in Manhattan.
Space…The Fiscal Frontier?
No less an expert on fiscal responsibility than Treasury Secretary (and former railroad baron) John Snow did the chat shows on Sunday to push the notion that a new, bold moon and Mars initiative would not be too expensive of an undertaking. The story notes that a similar plan proposed by G.H.W. Bush (but without a moon base) would have cost $400-500 billion in 1989 dollars.
Creative Class Rising
Now and then, we bring our first cover story ever back to the top of the site to remind readers just how close Jackson is to becoming a magnet for young creatives, and what we need to do to make it happen.
[Drive] Year of the Mini?
As another year fades into our collective rearview mirrors—OK, that was cheesy—it offers an opportunity for us to take a look at what the future may hold for us in an automotive sense. Around our household it turns out that 2004 will likely be the same as 2003, if Ms. D has anything to say about it—the Year of the Mini. But despite a recent home screening of "The Italian Job" (which is known around here as "the Mini movie," and has little else to recommend it), I think there's still a little more of an automotive frontier to be explored before we start sending our payments back to Bavaria. Here's a look at some of the things that are in store for 2004.
[Stauffer] To Peace and Prosperity
As I'm writing this, the Dow seems to have settled into a new level over 10,000 and up about 25 percent on the year. Our abysmal unemployment numbers have seen a little improvement recently (although some manufacturing jobs would be nice), and orders for durable goods have been up in past months along with GDP growth. That's all pretty good news, and it's news that I hope translates into peace and prosperity for all of us in the new year. There is, of course, a lot of work to do—particularly in government, where the red ink flows at both the federal level and here in the state capital.
Asleep at the Budget Wheel?
According to an AP poll, President Bush's economic policies are playing better with the country this week—the stock market is up, consumer confidence is rolling along and Bush's economy approval numbers bumped up to 55% approval and 43% disapproval.
Nader Eyes Bid
Will Nader run again? Of course some Republican pollsters would like it, but he doesn't appear to have the same support he had in 2000 -- he may not even run as a Green Party candidate. (He was never a card-carrying Green anyway.) At this point, his persistent desire to run looks like it involves more than a little hubris, especially in the face of this:
[Drive] Could It Be the One?
Ms. D and I had a driving trip planned for the long Thanksgiving weekend, and I saw it as a chance to give a good, long test to a car that I might honestly consider committing to. As I walked past the Avis rental lot, I saw that I was in luck—they had a Pontiac Vibe, which Avis rents in many locations, but not generally in Jackson.
Rise of the Third Party?
Here's an interesting Washington Post piece on tech in politics and a little hint as to why the Dean campaign apparatus allows a smaller "third party" organization to organize politically. Could the Internet spells doom for the two-party "duopoly"?
[Drive] Cat-Like Reflections
Does your car say something about you? It's a question I can't seem to get out of my head, even though, intellectually, I'd prefer not to worry about it. Unwittingly, I'll look around at people I know when I see them in a parking lot and make subtle judgments. A Camry? Interesting. A VW Jetta? A-ha. A Hummer? Oh…I see.
[Drive] Gettin' That Olds Feeling
I still don't quite get why GM would decide to retire the Oldsmobile name, especially considering that Pontiac is right there, just begging for it. In the cold, careless world that we live in, Pontiac remains; Oldsmobile is no more. I'm still waiting for an 11th-hour reprieve.
And the Winners Are…
...Republicans (and Jim Hood) in contested statewide elections, Democrats in Hinds County and Legislative elections and turnout -- over 818,000 people had voted in the Lieutenant Governor's race with 92% of precincts reporting, suggesting that turnout was better than the Secretary of State, Eric Clark, had predicted at the beginning of the day, and besting recent gubernatorial elections.
[Stauffer] The Secret to Jackson's Future
The burning question of how to fix what ails Jackson is on the minds of, at the very least, newspaper editors and the people they've interviewed here in our fair city, thanks in part to The Clarion-Ledger's series called "The Changing Face of Jackson." So far, if you've missed the series, here's a recap: Week One: We need to get along. Week Two: We need to grow.
[Drive] Focus on Chivalry
Ms. D and I have a running point of, er, discussion regarding, of all things, remote keyless entry. I say it's an absolutely must-have feature in terms of the next vehicle that we decide on, and that I'm willing to consider spending an extra $1,000 for a power package in order to get it. (As you might expect, our 1986 Toyota Tercel 4WD does not offer such a feature. To me, keyless entry still seems like The Future.) Ms. D has a different take. "It's unchivalrous. You don't open my door when you use it."
A New Politics
<b>How Cultural Creatives Are Changing the Map</b>
"A third party? I'd just be happy with a second party!" Agree with that statement? If so, there's a chance you've considered yourself a "centrist," an "independent," a "free thinker"—or you just think politics is for suckers. Perhaps you identify with a third-party cause or candidate—maybe you find yourself stuck in the middle, unsure of whether any political party or movement speaks to the issues that are important to you. Or maybe you don't vote at all.
[Drive] The Ultima Armrest Test
I rolled up to Ms. D. and pulled the car to a stop, as I'd successfully navigated the Hertz desk and become the proud temporary proprietor of a red 2003 Nissan Altima. "It's got bird #$@% on it," she said, pointing. n fact, she did not say "#$@%," but rather an actual expletive that I feel I should censor here in the interest of our discerning readers. I will admit that I was not shocked, however, as I have been conditioned to expect this behavior.
[Drive] Mocked in a Mustang
I have never been in a hardtop Mustang that was made after 1972. But I have seen them around and wondered about them. So, I was determined a few weeks back to rent one and report my findings here. Unfortunately, as I have been in the past, I was thwarted by a clever Hertz representative who, by using mind-control mojo, got me to take a convertible instead. She did this by saying, "Would you like a convertible instead? It's only $7 more a day."
Your Grid or Mine?
<i>Jackson Designers Push 'New Urbanism'</i>
Turn off U.S. 51 onto Hoy Road in Madison, toward the reservoir, and drive past a number of bland gated communities until the gravel ends and you're on dirt. Keep going through the trees, under a Natchez Trace bridge, through more trees—and, suddenly, you'll emerge at a clearing near the water. In that clearing (assuming I had my bearings right) will one day be the business district of Lost Rabbit, a "town" planned for this stretch of about 260 acres of this land. Right now, it's muddy, with water lapping the shore, two-by-fours and building materials (and fast food trash) scattered as if construction workers had skedaddled after sighting a gator.
[Stauffer] Where the Sidewalk Begins
I stepped out of Peaches Restaurant on Farish Street the other day after stopping in to hear Dorothy Moore sing and to celebrate her recent album release. When I got to the curb, my feet turned away from the car and headed south down what there is of the sidewalk that borders the torn-up street. This, I thought, is the Entertainment District. In a word, it's a mess. But, I thought, it seems to be a little less of a mess than it was a few months ago.
Blogging the Body Politic
Read about presidential hopeful Howard Dean's remarkable grass-roots blogging campaign. And add your voice at the end: Will this campaign change politics as we know it?
[Talk] Alabama on our Minds
In an effort that riveted the attention of the nation and even got Alabama favorable copy on The New York Times editorial page, Alabama's Legislature passed the largest tax increase in that state's history on July 7, 2003. (It's now headed for an up-or-down voter referendum on Sept. 9, 2003.) The act, spearheaded by the state's freshman Republican governor, Bob Riley, was designed to make Alabama's tax code less regressive by shifting some tax burden from the poorest Alabamans to the richest landowners and corporations. The goal: Increase revenues to fill a projected $800 million shortfall in the Alabama budget. Oh—and the governor wants to please God.
[Drive] Less Than Zero
Ms. D likes to point out that I'm less of a car reviewer and more of an obsessive car shopper. She's right on many levels—while I like to take sports cars out for a spin, I don't quite covet every muscle car that comes down the line. I like a lot of cars, and I enjoy driving just about anything different. But what I really like is the idea of getting a good deal. I like a car that's practical and efficient and affordable at the same time. And I'm a bit of a sucker for that new car smell, too.
[Talk] eVoting Next for State
Hurry, you only have until Monday, July 28, to get in your two-cents about Mississippi's voting upgrades.
[Drive] Sonata for a Song
Ms. D wrinkled her nose the second she saw it and called to me through the open window of the Miata. "It's white," she said, stating the obvious. I told her that I knew it was white, but that she was to keep an open mind because we needed to evaluate the car on its merits and white was all that they had available at the Hertz counter. She shrugged and popped the Miata into first gear. I plunked the Hyundai into "D" and followed.
Downtown: The ‘Neighborhood' Solution
On Thursday, July 3, 2003, real estate developer Mike Peters and his wife drove to Memphis to stay in the Peabody Hotel. After dinner, they were told in the lobby to check out the roof of the hotel, where a dance was going on. Peters tells us he was amazed when he got off the elevator. "There were 3,000 or 4,000 people up there," he said. "And most of them were 25- to 35-years-old. They probably thought I was some (sort of) chaperone!" Peters said that what surprised him was not that a party was going on, but that it happens every Thursday, not just the one prior to the Fourth of July.
Whose Desecration?
Most likely you've heard that various lawmakers, such as co-sponsor U.S. Rep. Chip Pickering, R-3rd District, have once again voted for a constitutional amendment that creates penalties for desecrating the U.S. flag—an act that, while technically against the U.S. Flag Code, doesn't currently have any penalties attached to it. The last time Congress tried to attach penalties—a fine and up to one year in prison—was in the Flag Protection Act of 1989. The Supreme Court struck down the act in 1990.
Civil Obedience
It wasn't much of a Juneteenth celebration, but the Mississippi ACLU and the Mississippi Green Party (which can, at times, appear to be one person—activist Landon Huey), sponsored a Freedom Forum at the temporary city hall downtown in honor of the holiday that celebrates African-American freedom from slavery. The forum itself held the interest of the not-quite-scores of people in attendance, with a presentation and discussion regarding the USA PATRIOT Act, the current Department of Justice and the potential dangers posed to civil liberties.
[Drive] Mr. K's Used-Car Primer
For someone that Ms. D claims is obsessed with cars, I'm not all wrapped up in the lore and legend of sports cars or racing cars like many aficionados—rather, I'm obsessed with transportation. I like to see a good, functional, efficient, handy, inexpensive car. One I could afford and appreciate and be proud of. For instance, I repeatedly eyed a little Honda Civic four door that's for sale by its owner down the street from me in Belhaven. It's a little five-speed with 147,000 miles (I peered in the window). The paint is a little sun worn, but the five-speed looks shifty, and it would be good, practical transportation—if the AC works. It's a good image car for the struggling entrepreneur—efficient, practical, devil-may-care styling—plus it would look great in the Co-Op parking lot with a few "granola head" bumper stickers sprouting on its hind quarters.
The Smell of the Matrix
The Toyota Matrix keeps growing on me. Initially I wrote it off completely as aimed a little too young for my taste. As I dig deeper into the idea of a sporty wagon, however, I find myself back at the Matrix, still feeling a bit squeamish about the rakish lines but ultimately realizing that it's a perfectly fine car that gets outstanding mileage with a price that starts down near Ford Focus territory if you go for the base model. Maybe I'm a bit younger at heart than I realized.
How to Fake Being a ‘Real Man'
What does it take to be a real man? The serious answer is probably something about listening to the people around you, being able to patiently explain the infield fly rule and being strong enough to help other people when they're temporarily weak—whether that weakness is psychology, physical or both. In honor of Father's Day, however, we've put together a few slight less weighty thoughts on how those of us who still teeter on the brink of manhood can push ourselves over the edge. It only occurred to us after writing this piece that real men probably don't write tongue-in-check lists about how to be real men.
Runnin' with the Big Dawgs
We were sitting in the office around 7 p.m. last Friday anticipating another "press weekend." Stephen and I were in a heated discussion about some aspect of the upcoming issue when Donna, sitting at one of the computers in our office, let loose with a scream. "It's up!" She backed away from the computer screen as if sudden movements might cause it to lunge at her. "I can't read it."
DRIVE: ‘Ion: Say It With Me'
Every week our car-shopping adventure starts out pretty much the same. We have the best of intentions, planning a Car Driving Day soon after the most recent JFP has been printed and distributed. That's the day we promise—really swear—to go to another dealer and see another car.
My House Is Greener Than Yours
Mississippi 2020 and Habitat for Humanity are seeking groups and individual volunteers to work Saturdays starting June 21 (skipping the July 4 weekend) throughout the summer. Volunteers must be fairly able-bodied, but no particular construction skills are required. Call Laura at Jackson Habitat, 353-6060.
DRIVE: Tennis, er ... Golf, Anyone?
"Oh, they have an orange one!" cried Ms. D, the delight in her voice crackling through the early evening air. "I've never seen that color of orange driving around, have you?" I told her that I hadn't. I also mentioned, for the second time, that we weren't here to look at a VW Beetle. "Well, which one are we supposed to look at?" she asked, irritated at the interruption of her reverie. I pointed to the model in question and told her I wanted her opinion on the Volkswagen Golf.
Going ‘Round in Circles
What's the toughest thing to get people to talk about? Crime? Race? How about commercial development? Funding city services? These are the types of social topics that are being tackled around the country in "study circles," an approach to community-building and public forums championed by the Topsfield Foundation of Pomfriet, Conn., which created the Study Circles Resource Center in 1989.
TEST DRIVE: A Utility Vehicle, Thank You
"Well, in a way, a boring truck sort of appeals to me," said Mr. K, on our way to the Toyota dealership. We were headed out there to see a Toyota Highlander, which I thought he might appreciate, as he'd been complaining about gas prices and the mileage he gets from his 10-year-old 4Runner.
TEST DRIVE: Hunting Hybrids
When Mr. K—Ms. D's brother—is in town, he and I have a tendency to disappear for hours at a time. If you happen to reach me by cell phone during one of our excursions, you'd likely find that we're in a new vehicle from a local dealership, one of us manning the controls while the other peppers the hapless salesperson with questions about the mileage, the engine's power, the quality of materials, the mindset of the workers who built the car, the exact chemical composition of the flecked plastic dashboard insets …
Tale of Two Downtowns
What step to take next will be a huge question for 2003. We could be going nowhere, or at least a relatively short distance—after all, we're in a recession, Mississippi's telecom industry is "retrenching," and the prospect of war may change local and national goverment priorities significantly.
Music: Les Kerr, Christmas On The Coast
I heard Jackson native Les Kerr perform "Christmas on the Coast" this summer during a gig at Hal & Mal's and, despite the poor timing (of course, musicians rarely have the luxury of recording Christmas songs during the holidays), I enjoyed the song then. On his new album of the same name, the "Christmas on the Coast" track features background vocals by the Jordanaires, which give the song some Johnny Cash ballad credibility. Overall, the song balances novelty and a familiar coastal country sound, adding something significant to the body of Christmas tunes we stick into our CD changers each year.
‘Miata Station Wagon,' Anyone?
I've known Ms. D. about the same amount of time that I've been writing car reviews—on and off for about six years now. (On and off for the car reviews. Aside from the occasional exile to the living-room sofa, I've been seeing Ms. D. continuously for that entire time.) For all those reviews, there have been only two cars—aside from my Mazda Miata, which is now pretty much her Mazda Miata—for which she has expressed any level of admiration.
Readers, Advertisers and Community
The Jackson Free Press, as with any for-profit publication, is designed to appeal to two constituencies: the reader and the advertiser. In these pages, the reader will find examples of the writing, research, coverage and reporting that they can expect from the Jackson Free Press.
Test Drive: Room in a VUE
"It's too big," says Ms. D, with clear-eyed disdain. We were driving up to the Saturn dealership on I-55 and High Street, looking at a row of nearly identical Saturn VUE models.
Prev Next