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Jackson Gets New FBI Head
... and he seems to have a pretty impressive resume. Bets are that he'll stay busy in these parts:
Fred Brink, a graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy and 21-year FBI veteran, today was named the new special agent in charge of the FBI's Jackson Division. Brink is coming …
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Hood Warns of Stimulus Scams
[verbatim from the Mississippi Attorney General's office]
Attorney General Jim Hood, along with the Federal Trade Commission, is warning consumers about bogus web sites and emails promising to help them qualify for a payment from President Obama's …
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Here's Why I Adore Jeff Good
Jeff's e-mail, verbatim:
The water problem this week has created inconveniences, both minor and major for many residents and businesses, but this e-mail from Jeff Good this morning put it all in perspective …
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A Wild Ride
Alan Huffman's "Mississippi in Africa" (Gotham Books, 2004, $27) is a remarkable book that will capture your imagination and ground you in reality. For anyone who has ever been haunted …
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UN: Syrian Rebels Free 45 Fijian Peacekeepers
Al-Qaida-linked Syrian rebels on Thursday released all 45 Fijian peacekeepers they had held captive for two weeks, the United Nations said, bringing an end to a crisis that had pulled …
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Live Video: Obama Makes Statement on the Fiscal Cliff
By Todd StaufferPresident Obama is expected to address the "fiscal cliff" this afternoon in the aftermath of the House's failure to pass the GOP "Plan B" proposal. The House has adjourned for the Christmas holiday.
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Allow Me to Rant About This Campaign for a Minute ...
By Donna LaddThe turn this mayoral campaign has taken is extremely frustrating, especially between the Harvey Johnson and Jonathan Lee campaigns. And from where we sit, trying to get out as much accurate information as possible, we see it all. It is one thing to get good, solid public information from a candidate, supporter or anyone as we did last week when we received an envelope of real information about Lee's business issues—which, in turn, a led to a very revealing interview with the candidate, in which we learned that he actually never has been a business owner. The public has the right to know about all of this, and then decide what they think.
But this week, both campaigns have frustrated us. First, the Lee campaign put out a press release (see below) listing several accusations of the Johnson campaign. When our reporter called them to get backup materials, they refused to give us any. I guess we're all supposed to believe it without proof. (See: lesson in that envelope of documents we got last week.)
We're also frustrated with the Johnson campaign over the same press release, though. They put out a press release in response (also quoted in below story) that referred to our story about Lee's business woes and used the fact that Lee is facing those troubles as a response to the allegations?
Huh?
That is not a response. A response would be actual information about the incidents referred to—on which both campaigns failed epicly. It's as if it is a push-and-shove game on a playground. "Oh, yeah?" "Oh, yeah!"
What the public needs is information: documents, links, sources, people will go on the records. It's what we're in the business of doing: gathering and disseminating facts. We cannot legally put out garbage on people and public officials, and the campaigns should not, either. Granted, the Johnson campaign was responding to Lee based on a factual story about his business problems, but a much better response would be information that refuted and/or gave context to the allegations in the email.
Not to mention how many half-baked accusations are flying around; Lee supporters have been especially fond of floating theories to us about the Johnson administration—which none of them bothered to pitch us over the last four years—but then not being able or willing to back them up with documents or people to talk to.
One case in point: a story someone mentioned to me last Sunday; he told us who to call to get details, which we did Monday; he wouldn't talk unless we knew exactly which questions to ask, which we didn't because it's their story tip; the original source then said he'd provide those Wednesday; we didn't hear from him; texted him last night; he texted back this morning with a 90-minute window we could talk to him in; we were on daily deadline and couldn't; now says he's too busy to talk. I told him to call me when he can so we …
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U.S. Officials: No Delays in Rescue Effort in Libya
CIA security officers went to the aid of State Department staff less than 25 minutes after they got the first call for help during the attack on the U.S. Consulate …
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GOP: Watch the Racist Talking Points
Just hours after the Dow closed Monday down 777 points, a JFP reader posted the "reason" for the financial crisis on our Web site: "The subprime mortgage gateway was led …
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Obama Outside Groups Forming Influence Network
President Barack Obama learned in his first term that he couldn't change Washington from the inside, saying in the heat of his re-election race: "You can only change it from …
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Tax Overhaul: IRS Scandal Could Lead to Changes
The Internal Revenue Service's targeting of conservative political groups has little if anything to do with most everyday taxpayers, but some lawmakers are hoping attention to the budding scandal will …
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Brazil Looks to Break from US-Centric Internet
Brazil plans to divorce itself from the U.S.-centric Internet over Washington's widespread online spying, a move that many experts fear will be a potentially dangerous first step toward fracturing a …
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National
Business Leaders Quit Trump Panel; He Hits Back Hard
President Donald Trump on Tuesday ripped into the four business leaders who resigned from his White House jobs panel—the latest sign that corporate America's romance with Trump is faltering—after his …
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Olde Tyme Commissary
Tucked away in Highland Village's myriad shops is Olde Tyme Commissary, a fixture there since 1972. The store features children's toys and costumes, fine-tailored baby clothes, and educational toys and …
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[Stiggers] Everything Must Go
Big Head Fred: "During Black History Month, the corporate world has thrived on your impulsive buying habits. In spite of your overworked and underpaid status, they depend on you to …
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Boots Optional?
Phil Bryant may not support a woman's right to make decisions about her body but there is one issue on which the future guv is decidedly pro-choice: footwear. Mississippi's 64th …
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Gadget of The Week [11.15.06]
How can your life be truly full and rich when you don't have a personal digital projector? (I ask myself this kind of stuff all the time.) Two different companies—LumenLabs …
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Politics
Mississippi Governor Noncommittal on Medical Marijuana Bill
Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves said Tuesday that he has not decided whether he will sign a bill to legalize marijuana for people with debilitating medical conditions such as cancer, AIDS …
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Sending out a Sears SOS
With future generations of Jacksonians potentially left with no place to buy Wrangler jeans, Kardashian Kollection accessories, large appliances and power saws, a city of Jackson-sponsored effort is now afoot …
