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Hitched
Setting the Stage for Love
Weddings are, by their nature, theatrical events. In fact, theater has its roots in the performance of ritual activities.
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City & County
Council Gives Yarber Salary Ultimatum
The Jackson City Council held its nose and passed Mayor Tony Yarber's $390 million budget proposal Monday night. But the vote comes with strings attached, council members warned and could …
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Cover
Mississippi Elections: What You Need to Know
On. Nov. 6, the same day as the national midterms, voters choose between Democrat Mike Espy, Republican Cindy Hyde-Smith and Republican Chris McDaniel in a U.S. Senate special election; there …
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JFP
PUBLISHER'S NOTE: ‘Tis a Very VIP Season
For the better part of two decades, the JFP has been proud to present the one, authentic, local and first "Best of" competition that seeks to promote the unique people, …
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Person of the Day
Kermit Davis
Mississippi's Kermit Davis is getting another crack at a big-time men's basketball coaching job nearly 30 years after the lowest point in his career.
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City & County
Jackson Planning Director Confirmed As Two Councilmen Question Her Record
Two Jackson City Council members voted against Director of Planning and Development Jordan Hillman's official confirmation to a new term on Thursday, Sept. 10.
Entry
The Storms Before the NFL Draft
By bryanflynnThere has been plenty of news before the NFL Draft’s kickoff tomorrow night, Thursday, April 27, that could send players down the draft board. Some is understandable, and some could be considered ridiculous.
Let’s start with the ridiculous and work our way to more serious elements. One thing to remember: the run-up to the draft is one long job interview.
Last week in the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel, writer Bob McGinn reported the scores of several players who took the Wonderlic intelligence test at the NFL Combine. ESPN’s Darren Rovell pointed out two players who scored an 11 out of 50 on the test and Rovell was roasted on social media. Since then, Rovell took the official test and wrote about taking it and how it changed him.
The leaking of Wonderlic scores has gone on since the NFL began using the test in the 1970s. If you don’t know, the test is 50 questions taken in 12 minutes with just a pencil and scrap paper. The employers use the test to assess the intelligence of prospective employees.
If you follow the NFL Combine, everyone does the same testing. All the players bench-press 225 pounds, run the 40-yard dash, and so forth. Not all the tests really apply to every position, but to get an apples-to-apples comparison, every player does the same tests.
The Wonderlic doesn’t mean a ton for most positions. If any position makes sense, it is the quarterback position, where you have to process a good deal of information and do it quickly.
What other players score on the test really isn’t entirely game-changing but is important. Players have known for years that the NFL gives the test at the combine. Agents have been preparing players for the test for years, as well.
If everything is a test at the combine, the way a player approaches the Wonderlic is a test. Remember, this is a giant job interview. If a player scores low on the test, teams might do more research on the player to find out why.
NFL teams will want to know why a player bombed a test that he knew he had to take. Did the player care enough to even prepare for the test? Is the player bad at taking tests? If the player didn’t care to prepare for the test, teams will wonder if that player will prepare for a NFL career. The test is part of an evolution process and not really about how smart the players are.
No one should be made fun for what he scored on the test. It is simply a way for teams to see whether players are going to put in the work that is needed to be in the NFL.
It also never fails that a player or two will fail the drug test at the NFL Combine. This year, it was University of Alabama linebacker Reuben Foster and University …
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The JFP Interview with Steve Holland
In a matter of 24 hours, Steve Holland went from seemingly being the director of "Punk'd: Mississippi Edition" to directing funerals.
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Talk
Most Intriguing Jacksonians 2008
For the third year running, the Jackson Free Press staff presents the last year's most intriguing Jacksonians. Mind you, this is not necessarily a complimentpast "winners" have included criminals and …
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Mayor Re-instates, Discredits JPD Promotion Exams
Jackson Mayor Frank Melton announced today that the police department will again administer police officer promotion exams to officers currently serving in acting sergeant and lieutenant positions because the city …
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JPD Investigating Officer for Michelle Obama Comments
The Jackson Police Department is conducting an internal investigation of one of its officers for "conduct unbecoming of an officer" during First Lady Michelle Obama's visit last week, according to …
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Actresses to Watch: Coming Soon to a Theater Near You
They're the sparks that add glamour, glitz and guts to area theater. They make us laugh, cry, think, ogle and admire every power-packed performance. A bevy of acting talent has …
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My Story on Melton in Reason Magazine
Read the piece.
The libertarian Reason magazine today published a piece they asked me to write about Frank Melton and his shenanigans to date. Check it out here (note that a couple of …
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2003: Nightlife
<b>Best Bar Bathroom: Hal & Mal's, 200 S. Commerce St., 948-0888</b>
Someone accused us of coming up with this category so that Hal & Mal's could win hands-down. That's not true: We've always believed that a bar is only as good …
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Cover
The Water Also Rises
In the ecological balance between droughts and floods, Where do Mississippi farmers—and consumer prices—stand?
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Winter Arts Preview: A New Dialogue
Photos by Nate Glenn
A young girl dressed in a floral tank top and gray biking shorts sways back and forth in a rocking chair as she sleeps. The room in which she sleeps …
Story
Best of Jackson 2003: Nightlife
Best Bar Bathroom: Hal & Mal's, 200 S. Commerce St., 948-0888 Someone accused us of coming up with this category so that Hal & Mal's could win hands-down. That's not …
Story
[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 …
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Watch for Fraudulent E-mails
Folks, the trolls are up to it again. There is a round of e-mails going around to people who post here made to look like they come from people at …
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Do It For Your Country
There are certain holiday essentials. One such essential: eggnog. And you simply can't have eggnog without alcohol. Now, that's a holiday essential.
