[Letter To The Editor] Payday Loans NeededEvery American adult has experience in financial management. But despite the fact that we all manage our personal finances and make decisions every day about how to spend, save and invest, many of us remain baffled by the complicated systems …
Break-Neck SpeedIn 1972 I went on a Girl Scout camping trip to Washington, D.C. One of the chaperoning mothers brought along her son, Terry. We kidded with each other that I was girl "Terri" and he was boy "Terry."
It's About Jobs, Not ‘Obamacare'Republicans managed to snag a U.S. House of Representatives majority last week, and many consider this a "mandate" to repeal health-care reform meant to hold insurance companies accountable and provide more people with health-care options.
[Stiggers] Winter in AmericaBig Roscoe: "Welcome to the post-daylight-saving time edition of ‘Clubb Chicken Wing's Def Poetry Jam with Hot Sauce.' We have a virgin about to recite something to you. And he told me that he also brought a big ol' hot …
[Kamikaze] Take the ‘I' Out of TeamI'm not a Democrat or Republican. Nor am I liberal or conservative. I shun the two-party mindset, believing that there's no either/or scenario when it comes to politics. I'm more moderate if I'm anything, a subscriber to a more common-sense …
[Purvis] Making a Home, Building a LifeMy house on Chickasaw Avenue has been a work in progress since I bought it in 2008. In my mom's opinion, it had three strikes against it: It was an older home; it needed work; and it was in Jackson.
Redefining HomeThis is the first time I've talked about this. There have been many reasons I've kept my "secret" in the vault. There's a stigma that comes with it. It's one of those things that carries a lot of shame and …
Loving The SinnerWhen I was about 9 years old, my cousin Kim and I got into a fight. I don't remember what we were fighting about, but I got so angry I picked up a vase and hit her in the mouth …
Free the Scott SistersGov. Haley Barbour should pardon Jamie and Gladys Scott—and not because we believe beyond a shadow of doubt that they are innocent. He should pardon them because they have done the time for the crime they are accused of committing.
[Stiggers] The Chitterling Holiday SeasonEarnest "Monday Night Football Head" Walker: "Attention, Pork-N-Piggly shoppers: Now that the elections are over, it's time to enjoy the holiday seasons. As chief executive officer of Pork-N-Piggly supermarkets, I am happy to announce the start of the Chitterling (Chit-lin) …
Remember SanityWhen I was given the opportunity to go to Jon Stewart's Rally to Restore Sanity this past weekend, I jumped at the chance. I went to school in the Washington, D.C., area, and cut my activist teeth on Vietnam War …
[Head] Don't Tread on HerWhatever political ideology the Rand Paul supporters who attacked Lauren Valle last week might have claimed to have, they became fascists the moment they held her down and stomped her in the head.
[Balko] More Democracy, More IncarcerationLast year the U.S. prison population declined for the first time in a generation. That's good news, but it doesn't begin to offset the damage done by a 30-year incarceration binge that has made America far and away the democratic …
The Jackass FactorGod has a special corner of heaven for the people who cut hair—those people who manage to make us look stunning despite all the silly blather they must hear every day.
Bring Early Voting to MississippiElections are already underway for more than 3 million Americans who have access to early voting. What we're wondering at this point is why not us?
[Stiggers] Head Up; Wig OnBoneQweesha Jones: "Greetings, Hair Did University students and faculty. I scheduled this special assembly to remind you to go to the polls and vote. I know some of you are very discouraged and frustrated and confused about the government and …
[Kamikaze] Re-Shaking Things UpEven I get discouraged. As much as I champion Jackson, there are times that its outdated vestiges rear their ugly heads. There are times when the corporate status quo takes a few slow promising steps forward, then a disappointing few …
[McLaughlin] More Female Candidates, PleaseWhenever I meet a smart, progressive Mississippi woman who gets her opinion across, remains firm but compassionate and has the ability to inspire others, I find myself ecstatically blurting out: "You should run for governor someday!"
[Balko] America's Most Successful Stop Snitchin' CampaignLast month when U.S. District Judge Julie Robinson awarded Baron Bowling $830,000 for the beating he suffered at the hands of a Drug Enforcement Administration agent in 2003, she went out of her way to acknowledge another victim in the …
With Gentleness and ReverenceWhen Todd and I used to live in Belhaven, we'd often walk in the mornings. Nearly every morning, we would watch a harried mother--often in a big SUV talking on a cell phone with at least one kid in the …
GOP: Avoid Tea Party Kool-AidThat Lt. Gov. Phil Bryant and many Mississippi Republicans are aligning themselves with the tea party comes as little surprise. Bryant told The Clarion-Ledger last week that tea-party beliefs "are much like mine."
[Stiggers] Cutback and PrivatizeMr. Announcement: "On this episode of ‘All God's Churn Got Shoes', the Cootie Creek County School Board spends long hours contemplating cutbacks on various education programs within the school system. Let's eavesdrop in on this board meeting to see what …
Facts MatterI have come to expect this from politicians. It disappoints me, but I no longer expect most politicians to be straightforward. They simplify. They pontificate. They talk in code and refuse to stray from carefully crafted, poll-tested talking points.
[Balko] Abolish Drunk Driving LawsLast week Austin Police Chief Art Acevedo advocated for creating a new criminal offense: "driving while ability impaired." The problem with the current Texas law prohibiting "driving while intoxicated," Acevedo explained, is that it doesn't allow him to arrest a …
Regarding HermanHerman Snell was driven. I don't know why--or by what, exactly, but it was fascinating to watch. Herman wanted people to know what was going on in the arts, particularly film, and he wanted them to hear good music. And …
Stop the Lakes-v.-Levees DramaIn recent months, the Jackson Free Press was pleased to see the Rankin-Hinds Levee Board seemingly get unlocked from the years-long Lakes-v.-Levees standoff that had prevented any forward movement toward flood control along the Pearl River and, with any luck, …
[Stiggers] Property-Owning People"Welcome to ‘The Finance Pimp Wants His Homes Back Foreclosure Sales' cable-television showcase. Are you gainfully employed? Do you work three jobs? If you answered yes to these questions, come see me and sign on the dotted line. Remember: The …
[Kamikaze] Getting Control of Our KidsI watched a piece on "The Today Show" a few days back that really bothered me. As the days have passed, it has still stuck with me.
[Hill] Holy Ground"Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for by doing that, some have entertained angels without knowing it." (Hebrews 13:2).