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SPANN: The Wacky Professor Strikes Again

"Sweetie, what do you think of all these corporate scandals?" "Well, management guru Charles Handy would posit that …" Uh-oh! The Wacky Professor strikes again!

[Chick] These Boots Are Made For Walkin'

I am a bitter, vindictive bitch. And everybody knows it. "Says who?" Says my ex-husband Richard Cranium (we call him RC for short.) And he's right. Divorce has taught me a lot about myself, and I admit to being bitter. I admit to missing my split-plan suburban home and book club and goldfish pond and "Howdy neighbor!" neighbors and financial stability and a slower pace and, most of all, those moments with my child that just happened when I was not so stressed.

[Aziz] Bought Out: African Americans Sell Future for Shoes

During my last year in school at Jackson State University I learned that African Americans spend three times more than any other ethnic group. When I heard this, I couldn't believe it. After all, I knew we as African Americans were definitely brand loyal, and I knew that we spent a lot more money on material things, but three times as much? This figure definitely appalled me because the average African-American salary is only $21,000 and some change. This means that with the help of credit, we are not only spending what we make, but more.

[Cannon] Stamp Out Black History Month

It's here again. Black History Month. "Roots" will be played over and over and over again. The Black Heritage Movie Network will show films like "Sweet Sweetback's Baadassss Song." And we'll be blessed with all those precious Black History Moments: "Madam C.J. Walker was the first black female millionaire," says the smiling local news personality. Why is that remarkable thing significant only in February? Answer: It's not.

[Greggs] Like Bourbon For Chocolate

Last week, after spying the ever-growing acreage of my cat's butt, I begrudgingly headed to the store to buy her diet food for the first time. I felt badly about it. Mainly because I would think one of the perks of being a cat is the fact you never have to diet. That and naps being two of the things that make up for the daily indignity of crawling into a box of your own crap.

Do Not Take Revenge, My Friends

Cain said to the LORD, "My punishment is more than I can bear. Today you are driving me from the land, and I will be hidden from your presence; I will be a restless wanderer on the earth, and whoever finds me will kill me." But the LORD said to him, "Not so; if anyone kills Cain, he will suffer vengeance seven times over." Then the LORD put a mark on Cain so that no one who found him would kill him. So Cain went out from the LORD's presence and lived in the land of Nod, east of Eden.

A Libertarian Appeal

Recently, I was involved in a political conversation in which I made a comment about the Constitution, noting how rarely politicians cite it as a document limiting governmental power. My interlocutor dismissed the argument, saying, "Yes, but it isn't relevant today; it's so old."

[Skipper] Our Jackson

"I am Jackson." It's emblazoned on a T-shirt sold at F. Jones Corner on Farish Street. And it's a motto for the growing force of Jacksonians working to make Jackson what we want it to be. The future of this city is partly reflected in my Jackson story, but what makes me so confident in its future is that my story is not unique."

Life Goes On

Two nights before Halloween, on Oct. 29, 1995, Robert Estes' life changed forever. As a boy, Canton native Estes loved to travel to see his family in St. Paul, Minn., and when he graduated from high school he moved there.

Hezekiah Watkins

On a sunny day in the spring of 1961, Hezekiah Watkins was just another face in the crowd as he watched the Freedom Riders arrive at the Greyhound bus station on Lamar Street. Itching for a closer look, the 13-year-old sprinted across Lamar Street, but he accidentally ended up inside the station where police arrested the activists who rode interstate buses through the South to challenge Jim Crow laws.

An Elusive Beast

It was 1999. I was sitting on the edge of the exam table, staring at my feet dangling off the side and fiddling self-consciously with the white paper covering the table. Why was I so exhausted, yet having sleep disruptions? Why did seemingly every joint in my body ache almost constantly?

Lazy, Crazy, Hazy

I love summertime. Maybe it's because I'm ridiculously cold-natured, so it's the one time of the year I get to wear things not resembling a parka without freezing. But I think it's really that summer means sunshine, evenings spent sitting on patios with cold drinks, letting my hair air-dry and wearing two of my favorite fabrics—seersucker and linen.

Intent to Ravish

Like so much of Mississippi culture, its laws concerning sex crimes harken back to a hypothetically more genteel time when ladies swooned and men did not use curse words in their presence. The states' rape statutes use vague, anachronistic words such as "ravish," "chaste" and "buggery" instead of rape, virgin and anal intercourse.

Are You Sure Hank Done It This Way?

When ever I'm driving down to Hattiesburg for gigs, I always enjoy listening to the local radio stations. My favorite on the FM dial is Super Country 99.1. They play all the classic country songs my daddy (pronounced "deddy") and I listened to while I was growing up in Bogue Chitto, Miss.

JRA Says Ugly Garage Ramp Must Go

Jackson Redevelopment Authority board members agree something needs to be done with the unsightly Jackson Place parking garage ramp on Capitol Street. However, they don't seem to know just what to do.

City Reconsidering Contract with Johnson

Members of the Jackson City Council Rules Committee are rethinking hiring D.L. Johnson Consultants LLC for the city's redistricting and asking the city attorney's office to look into the company.

[Anderson] One Simple Act

Having a world that was new to me waiting around every corner was exciting and appealing.

Money Talks

If Hinds County Supervisor candidate John Dennery had to choose an animal he identifies with the most, he says he would pick a guard dog. The Republican candidate for the District 1 seat isn't happy about how the board has spent taxpayer money over the past few years and pledges that he will eliminate wasteful spending if elected.

Students Make Gains in Math

National test scores in math and reading consistently put Mississippi below the national average, but this year's results show students made gains in one of the areas where they typically fall farthest behind: 8th-grade math scores.

New Laws Help Abuse Victims, More

Judges can add an extra level of protection for victims of domestic abuse under House Bill 196, which Gov. Haley Barbour signed in March.

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