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The Death of Horatio Alger

Paul Krugman writes aboutreading "a leftist rag that made outrageous claims about America. It said that we are becoming a society in which the poor tend to stay poor, no matter how hard they work; in which sons are much more likely to inherit the socioeconomic status of their father than they were a generation ago." That "rag," he says, is Business Week. "The article summarizes recent research showing that social mobility in the United States (which was never as high as legend had it) has declined considerably over the past few decades. If you put that research together with other research that shows a drastic increase in income and wealth inequality, you reach an uncomfortable conclusion: America looks more and more like a class-ridden society. And guess what? Our political leaders are doing everything they can to fortify class inequality, while denouncing anyone who complains -- or even points out what is happening -- as a practitioner of 'class warfare.'"

Spice Box: SAGE

Thanksgiving turkey wouldn't be the same without the peppery, somewhat astringent flavor of sage. It's used in poultry seasoning and stuffing for holiday meals, but plenty of good cooks don't know what to do with this velvet-leaf herb outside cornbread dressing and the roast turkey behemoth of the holiday season.

Turkey Trivia

Turkey time is here. Hallelujah. Before you dive into your towering plate of gobbler, take a minute to get to know this fabulous poultry that wows dinner tables across the nation.

Food Factoid: Nachos

Have you ever sat down in front of humongous pile of nachos and wondered, "Who was the genius that invented this amazing conglomeration of crispy chips, melted cheese, chunky salsa and chopped beef?"

New Poll: Katrina Raises Doubts About Bush

AP is reporting:

Hurricane Katrina and the bungled government response have weakened President Bush, raising questions among Americans about his Iraq and Gulf Coast spending plans and spreading fears among fellow Republicans that his troubles could be contagious. An AP-Ipsos poll shows a sharp increase in the percentage of people concerned about the economy since the storm. Less than half approve of Bush's handling of Katrina. Less than a third give him good marks on gas prices. As many Republicans fear, the survey shows signs of conflict between Bush's top two priorities: the Iraq war and post-Katrina recovery.

Names of First Coast Victims Released

The Sun-Herald is reporting:

UPDATED/URGENT: Take Food to St. Andrews

All, Rev. Connolly just wrote again about food that is needed in the Jackson shelters. Please do what you can:

Bush's Numbers Lower After Speech

Calling it a "can't win" dynamic, SurveyUSA has completed a three-day poll that show his already-falling approval numbers declining in the wake of his announcement of the "Gulf Opportunity Zone." 56% of Americans disapprove of his response to Katrina, with some of that increase actually coming from Americans who say Bush is doing *too much* for Katrina victims; he's "antagonizing his core supporters," says SurveyUSA, by throwing cash at the problem. In fact, 41% say that the Gulf should be rebuilt with private money, while 27% say it should be rebuilt with public money.

Melton Tells City Workers to Help Red Cross

Facing a growing crisis with evacuees who have been ejected from the Mississippi Coliseum and other shelters, with some now reportedly without a shelter over their heads and now sleeping in cars, Mayor Frank Melton told WAPT that he is going to send city workers to help the Red Cross speed the process:

[Crossroads] Cyber-Man

"No Maps for These Territories" is a fascinating glimpse into the philosophy and biography of William Gibson, the science-fiction writer best known for coining the phrase "cyberspace." Beyond that claim to fame, Gibson is a very real person and an entertaining one, with a charming self-deprecation and an interesting way of looking at the world.

Funds Available for Filmmakers

Mississippi Film and Video Alliance is giving new filmmakers a boost with the Emerging Filmmaker's Grant. The grants are available to filmmakers who are just starting out in the industry, and applications are due May 21.

A Response to an Article from The Clarion Ledger [Constance/Itawamba Co.]

Youth Media Project

All Mississippi needs is more negative media coverage, and here it is. People already think, all around the world, that Mississippi is full of closed-minded individuals whose main goal in life is to keep the state as conservative as possible.

Pour For Flavor

I'm thrilled to see the many great beers that are becoming available in Mississippi. Leinenkugel's Sunset Wheat, for example, is spring in a bottle. I will warn you, though, that you may have a hard time finding it in your local stores because I have been buying all that I come across.

The Way to Fight Crime: Get Involved

In 2010, a thief confronted Pam Greer at gunpoint in Jackson. It was then that Greer, a native of McComb, decided to do her part to help fight local crime, and she began the Stop the Violence campaign.

Neighbor Arrested in Teen's Murder

Cedric Ratliff, 25, surrendered today for his involvement in the shooting death of 15-year-old Edward Evans Jr. in July.

Mississippi Mulls Marriage Amendment

The Advocate reports: Mississippi gay and lesbian leaders are trying to raise awareness about a bill that would constitutionally ban gay marriages. "We've got the word out through memberships, through our e-lists, our Web sites. This is part of educating the public on the situation," said Jody Renaldo, executive director of Equality Mississippi. "We're trying to educate general Mississippians who really are not aware of gay and lesbian issues."

Stop the Blaming

Reason magazine's Cathy Young provides perspective on the attempt to place 9-11 blame: "With the 9/11 commission holding its hearings, the blame game is in full swing. It's Bush's fault. No, Clinton's. No, it's everyone's fault. No, it's no one's fault. And so it goes. Attorney General John Ashcroft goes before the panel and gets grilled on his lack of attention to terrorism pre-9/11. Ashcroft turns the tables and points the finger at panel member Jamie Gorelick, a former deputy attorney general in the Clinton administration, for tying law enforcement's hands with guidelines that made cooperation with intelligence agencies virtually impossible. Whether you think Ashcroft or Gorelick ended up in the hot seat generally depends on which one of them you'd like to see squirm. Everyone, it seems, is being confirmed in what they already know."

‘Rednecks for Obama': Two of ‘Em, Anyway

OXFORDTony Biessman, from Rollo, Mo., 74, co-founded Rednecks for Obama with his beer-drinking buddy Les Spencer. They like Obama so much that they went to Denver to the Democratic Convention and are now parked in chairs on the Ole Miss campus waiting for the debate. Why are these two rednecks for Obamanot the most obvious choice of the Redneck Nation, after all?

Oxford Residents Sharing Homes, Volunteering, Spending ... for Nothing?

This is about more than you.

To put John McCain's bailout on Mississippi in perspective, recall that Oxford homeowners have been bending over backward to both rent and share their homes with visiting journalists and others in town for the debates. You see, Sen. McCain, Oxford is a small town without a ton of hotel rooms. People have planned for months for this event. Many have volunteered for months. People have spent a lot of money. Ole Miss itself has spent $5.5 million; small businesses have stocked up in ways they cannot afford to lose.

Season For All

The span of time between Thanksgiving and the New Year used to be my favorite because not only did I get to eat great food and run around with my cousin, but I also got time off from school, played in the snow and celebrated my birthday. It didn't get better than that. As I grew older, the novelty of buying gifts for people wore off as the fake wreaths and sugarplums marched into the seasonal section of stores before Halloween was even over.

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