Sunday, May 31, 2009

Things that make you go hmmm......

Looks like Mississippi politics is heating up a little bit. Remember the Voter ID bill that was killed in the Senate by four Republicans, even though it's been a Republican crusade for some time? Apparently there is more to the story than the feeble reasons they gave for their vote. It's no secret Voter ID is one of Delbert's pet projects. It's also becoming less and less of a secret that Delbert is being looked at for Governor and Lieutenant Governor and not just by the media or Delbert.

It seems there is a reason our current Lieutenant Governor has been rather lukewarm in his support of a Voter ID bill, while at times appearing as if he couldn't rein in four Republican Senators. Sources have informed JJ the Senate shenanigans on Voter ID were an attempt to slap down Delbert a little bit. Hewes is looking at running for Lieutenant Governor and Bryant will either run for re-election or instead run for Governor. As these parties have a vested interest in Delbert's political future, Voter ID was torpedoed by Bryant's gang of four so they could deny Hoseman a legislative victory on something that would have resonated with the base and carried a great deal of publicity for the Secretary of State.

What the gang of four failed to realize was it made Bryant look weak, as he couldn't control his own party, something one could never say of McCoy, Dye, or other past legislative leaders. They also managed to anger many Mississippi Republicans who have struggled long and hard to get a Voter ID bill passed only to be backstabbed when in sight of victory.

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About those Chrysler dealership closings.....

It's starting to get the attention of more than a few, that there seems to be a political bias involved in the closing of Chrysler dealerships. Financial blog Zero Hedge attempted a statistical analysis and came up with an interesting little factoid:
"This puzzled us. Why would there be a significant and highly positive correlation between dealer survival and Clinton donors? Granted, that P-Value (0.125) isn't enough to reject the null hypothesis at 95% confidence intervals (our null hypothesis being that the effect is due to random chance), but a 12.5% chance of a Type I error in rejecting a null hypothesis (false rejection of a true hypothesis) is at least eyebrow raising. Most statistians would not call this a "find" as 95% confidence intervals are the gold standard for this sort of work. Nevertheless, it seems clear that something is going on here. Specifically, the somewhat low probability that the Clinton data showing higher survivability of Clinton donors could result just from pure chance. But why not better significance with any of the other variables? Why this stand out?

Then we got to thinking. Steven Rattner, the Car Czar, is married to Maureen White, one-time national finance chairman of the Democratic National Committee. What does Maureen do now?
From her website:

Maureen White is currently Chairman of the Board of Overseers of The International Rescue Committee (IRC), a member of the North American Advisory Board for the London School of Economics, and a National Finance Chair of the Hillary Clinton for President Campaign. (emphasis ours)

That website looks dated, but you get the idea
."
Story

Is anyone surprised? This smells like the Clintons.

Update: Here is a critique written by someone who knows a thing or two about statistics.

Update II: Zero Hedge released more of the methodology and data used. Update

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It's Sunday morning





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Saturday, May 30, 2009

Rumor mill has shifted a little

It's no longer Harvey hiring Faye Peterson as City Attorney, but instead he is looking to hire her as City Prosecutor.

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For the Thacker crowd.....



For all you wimps who went to Canton for bluegrass last night....

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Crime report of sorts

From JPD crime stats: Weekly crime stats

Since someone mentioned downtown yesterday, let's look at those crime stats:

May 18-24, 2009
Tombigbee: 2 auto burglaries on May 21, 2009
200 block of S. State Street: 2 auto burglaries on May 20, 2009
700 block of N. Congress Street: 1 auto burglary on May 22, 2009
Pearl Farish: 2 auto burglaries on May 24, 2009
George Congress: 1 auto burglary on May 22, 2009
Congress & Pearl: 2 auto burglaries on May 20, 2009
200 block of East Amite: 2 auto burglaries on May 20, 2009
300 block of Greymont Avenue: 6 auto burglaries on May 23, 2009

18 auto burglaries.

Note: There were a few on N. State Street but I wasn't sure about where the blocks were so I omitted them. Also, looks like someone robbed Frank's house. Report states 2 Carter Grove Circle was robbed on May 21.

Week of May 11-17,2009
Capitol & West: 2 auto burglaries on May 17, 2009
Capitol & Farish: 2 aggravated assaults on May 11, 1009
200 block of Commerce Street: 2 auto burglaries on May 13, 2009
100 block of E. Capitol: 2 business burglaries on May 14, 2009
300 block of E. Rankin: 1 business burglary on May 14, 2009
1100 block of Lamar: 1 business burglary on May 15, 2009
400 block of Greymount: 2 auto burglaries on May 14, 2009

8 auto burglaries, 4 business burglaries.

Week of May 3-10, 2009
400 block of Capital Street: 1 AutoTheft May 9,2009
100 block of E. Capitol Street: 12 Auto burglaries May 7-9, 2009
East River Place: 1 auto burglary, May 9, 2009
400 block of Greymont Avenue: 2 auto burglaries, May 5, 2009
Pearl & Roach: 2 auto burglaries, May 10, 2009
700 block of South State Street: 1 business burglary May 6, 2009
900 block of South State Street: 1 grand larcney May 6, 2009

16 auto burglaries, 1 business burglary, 1 grand larceny.

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Friday, May 29, 2009

Palin speaks.



Part 2, Part 3 , Part 4, Part 5, Part 6 , Part 7
Part 5 is pretty good.

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Regions rumor mill gets into gear

"NEW YORK, May 29 (Reuters) - Regions Financial Corp (RF.N), a large U.S. southeast regional bank, canceled a Friday appearance at an industry conference, citing a "last-minute scheduling conflict." Reuters story

Over at Barrons, Bob O'Brien reported:
"The lateness of the cancellation, coupled with the lack of concrete information about the cause of the scheduling conflict, fed into the kind of anxieties that usually accompany these kinds of episodes. Investors naturally conclude that the bank has backed out of its appearance because of some new development that it doesn’t want to disclose.
There’s every chance it could be a good development - a takeover offer came in over the transom? - but the suspicion is that it’s a less-than-constructive development.
Regions recently issued common equity to help close the $2.5 billion capital shortfall the government ordered as the result of its findings following the stress test of the banking system. It successfully executed on the issuance - a positive - but ended up issuing more stock than expected, meaning an even-heftier dilution to common shareholders, and at a steeper discount to where it was trading - 18% below its previous price - than analysts had anticipated..."


Needless to say, the rumors are flying.

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Does Chancellor Dewayne Thomas owe some money?

Section 23-15-807 of the Mississippi Code:
"(a) Each candidate or political committee shall file reports of contributions and disbursements in accordance with the provisions of this section. All candidates or political committees required to report may terminate its obligation to report only upon submitting a final report that it will no longer receive any contributions or make any disbursement and that such candidate or committee has no outstanding debts or obligations. The candidate, treasurer or chief executive officer shall sign each such report.
(b) Candidates who are seeking election, or nomination for election, and political committees that make expenditures for the purpose of influencing or attempting to influence the action of voters for or against the nomination for election, or election, of one or more candidates or balloted measures at such election, shall file the following reports:
(i) In any calendar year during which there is a regularly scheduled election, a pre-election report, which shall be filed no later than the seventh day before any election in which such candidate or political committee has accepted contributions or made expenditures and which shall be complete as of the tenth day before such election;
(ii) In 1987 and every fourth year thereafter, periodic reports, which shall be filed no later than the tenth day after April 30, May 31, June 30, September 30 and December 31, and which shall be complete as of the last day of each period; and
(iii) In any calendar years except 1987 and except every fourth year thereafter, a report covering the calendar year which shall be filed no later than January 31 of the following calendar year...."


Hinds County Chancery Judge Dewayne Thomas has apparently failed to follow the law and file his annual reports as required by law since he never filed a terminating report. Judge Thomas won election to his office in 2006. He last filed a report in periodic report on January 10, 2007.

The Mississippi Code specifies a candidate shall be fined $50 a day per violation up to $500:
"Section 23-15-813 (a)(ii) Beginning with the tenth calendar day after which any report shall be due, the Secretary of State shall assess the delinquent candidate and political committee a civil penalty of Fifty Dollars ($50.00) for each day or part of any day until a valid report is delivered to the Secretary of State, up to a maximum of ten (10) days."

Considering Judge Thomas has not turned in annual reports for 2008 and 2009, it seems he might owe $1,000 to the Secretary of State in fines.

List of Thomas's reports

Update:
Apparently another judge violated the law:
Judge Wise

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South Jackson residents have had it.



Good story by Monica Hernandez on WLBT on how South Jackson residents are sick of crime.

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Thursday, May 28, 2009

Cavaliers invade Guadalcanal



33 second mark. Cavalier King Charles Spaniel (Blenheim) invades Guadalacanal. Thats what I call a bad-ass dog, not that I'm prejudiced towards the breed.

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Mississippi Circuit Clerks shirking their duty?

Is Hinds County Circuit Clerk Barbara Dunn breaking the law? It sure seems that way when it comes to turning in campaign finance reports to the Secretary of State.

Section 23-15-805 of the Mississippi Code states:
"(b) Candidates for county or county district office, and every political committee which makes reportable contributions to or expenditures in support of or in opposition to a candidate for such office or makes reportable contributions to or expenditures in support of or in opposition to a countywide ballot measure or a ballot measure affecting part of a county, excepting a municipal ballot measure, shall file all reports required by this section in the office of the circuit clerk of the county in which the election occurs. The circuit clerk shall forward copies of all reports to the Office of the Secretary of State."

While looking through campaign finance reports on the Secretary of State's website, I noticed there were no reports available for county officials (Judicial candidates are under a different set of rules.). I called the SOS's office and was told they didn't have the reports (at least they weren't in the appropriate folders and could be buried somewhere else) for any of them. It was also clear under the law that the Circuit Clerks are supposed to provide copies to the state. Looking through the website, it seems that of the counties examined: Warren, Lamar, Forrest, Madison, Rankin, Hinds; none of the Circuit Clerks submitted the reports as required by law.

What is interesting about the law is there is no penalty for a Clerk who fails to do his duty. Thus the law tells him to file the reports with the state, but if he doesn't, well, the State doesn't do anything about it. Even if there is not even a slap on the wrist for an offending clerk, the law is not being followed and Mississippians are denied their right to see exactly what goes on in their government.

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Market Ticker on Kim Wade

Missed Karl Denninger of The Market Ticker (website) and The Kingfish on Kim Wade last week? Here is the broadcast. Enjoy:



Start at ten minute mark. Doesn't work? Here is the link

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Wednesday, May 27, 2009

I hate it when this happens.

I have a friggin' craving from hell for pound cake batter and I don't have what I need to make it.

This really sucks.

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Vote for the Hottest Defendant in Mississippi












































(Top to bottom, left to right: Sheral Smith, Lisa Pendergest-Holt (2), Tyshuna Cooper, Lisa Pendergest-Holt, Dana Johnson, Karen Irby (2) )

Mississippi has many fine-looking women and our criminal justice system is no exception. Vote for our one of these women in our "Hottest Defendant in Mississippi" poll. If I've missed anyone worthy of being in the poll, please email me a pic and a copy of or link to an article reporting her arrest.

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A picture is worth a thousand words

While the ship sinks and employees are furloughed at the Clarion-Ledger, Publisher Larry Whitaker is kicking it up in style at the Bacchus Ball this year. Thought his employees might appreciate this while they are enjoying their um, unpaid vacations.

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Vegas collapsing?

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Tuesday, May 26, 2009

MSNBC smears Palin

Ready for this? Here ya go:
"Modeling agencies clueless about Levi Johnston
There’s been plenty of speculation that Levi Johnston, the father of Tripp, Sarah Palin’s first acknowledged grandchild, has been giving interviews to the likes of Larry King and Tyra Banks so that he can land an endorsement or modeling deal. Vanity Fair did some poking about to see whether a modeling contract could be in Johnston’s future, and the prospects look bleak."
MSNBC April 26, 2009 Story

That's journalism? This earlier post shows exactly what the reporter was doing as she was trying to be sneaky and smear Bristol as being the mother of Palin's infant son. Disgusting.

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Update on Warnock lawsuit against Madison Misfits & Google

Called the Circuit Clerk's office in Madison County this morning to get an update on Rudy Warnock's lawsuit against Google and John Does #1-10. The clerk told me the last filing was in November, 2008 for discovery (Depositions, interrogatories, etc).

The Madison County Journal reported in February:
"A $5 million defamation lawsuit has been filed by Madison County Engineer Rudy Warnock accusing an unknown party of posting information on an Internet blog that caused him to suffer "great mental suffering and emotional distress as well as shame, humiliation and embarrassment." The lawsuit was filed in Madison County Circuit Court on Oct. 31, 2008, and subpoenas have been issued to the Internet search engine company Google to release information on the party that owns and operates the blog..." Story

Neither Google nor any of the John Does have filed a response. The only thing in the file is Warnock's complaint and the motion for discovery.

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Only 34% in JJ poll think Sheriff McMillin is doing a good job.

JJ recently asked if you thought Hinds County Sheriff Malcolm McMillin was doing a good job. Only 34% thought he was while 48% said he was doing a bad job. 15% said his performance was mediocre.

The totals:
Very good: 51 (18%), good: 45 (16%), mediocre: 43 (15%), bad: 73 (27%), really bad: 57 (21%)

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Some advice for the Mississippi Tea Party

Want to attract some of us? Then the next time you have an event run by Republicans that bashes the Dems for all of the bailouts and spending, throw in Chip Pickering's name since he was the ONLY member of our Congressional delegation to vote FOR the bailout last fall even though the calls to his office were heavily against the plan. No Republicans in Mississippi have yet to condemn him for his vote. That means the next time I see Phil Bryant and Rita Martinson up there leading a Tea Party rally and bashing big spending in Washington, then they better call out good ole Chip. If we are truly sick of what both parties have done to this country and our economy, then politicians like Pickering should be thrown under the bus with the rest of those that that voted to put us in this mess.

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Redstate: Republicans shown up by Cheney

There is an interesting column over at Redstate about Cheney's swapping blows with Obama and some recent polls.

First he delves into some recent polling numbers:
"According to a new poll from McLaughlin & Associates, Americans Want A Check On Obama’s Agenda, Americans are looking to Republicans to provide a foil to Obama’s more radical policies. According to this poll a 51% majority now are willing to vote Republican so they can act as a check on Obama’s agenda. 47% are presumably fine with a socialist bent of this Administration. According to the article, that’s a 17% shift in the answer to the same question asked just five months ago.
Surprisingly the biggest drop came among Democrats 86% of whom said they would vote Democrat in January as opposed to only 75% today. ...

Finally…and most infuriating to me is that so called Moderates and Independents went the other way…today 3% more Moderates and Independents would vote Democrat to help Obama while 12% more DEMOCRATS would vote for Republicans.
To me…this begs the question…why are we moving left to attract more Moderates and Independents when that group shows more loyalty to Obama than even Democrats do? Why aren’t we moving right…or at least trying to hold our ground to attract the Democrats who would vote Republican and outnumber the Moderates and Independents willing to vote Republican as a Percentage of those polled by 8%
So…after all is said and done…Republicans have piled up 11% of Democrats and 4% of Republicans while the Dems picked up 3% more moderates and independents
......"

Then he moves on to Cheney's re-emergence and what it means for Republicans:
"Then there’s that right wing extremist the establishment big wigs have been trying to ignore and shut out of the party. You know…he’s that big mouth that makes them blush in shame every time he opens his mouth and was most recently our Vice President of the United States, Favorable Opinions of Cheney Rise. Though still not over 50% approval, Cheney’s approval numbers have climbed 8% since he’s been out counter punching against the Obama Administration and their constant attacks and finger pointing at the Bush Administration on the issue. Of course he’s improved his numbers by fighting like a man rather than shutting up and cowering in a corner like the MSM tools who call themselves Republicans have advised him to do. Over the time he’s been out there fighting the Obama Administration almost singlehandedly. All the while, the cocktail circuit has been abuzz attacking him and the Republicans for having nothing else to offer than the most unpopular Vice President in American History!..."

He then contrasts Cheney's behavior with the current Ship of Fools that exists in the Republican Party leadership:
"So Cheney is out there all alone fighting the good fight and gaining in popularity for telling it like it is…yet we have no equivalent to him on Fiscal issues at a time when the Obama administration is involved in the wholesale nationalization of the Banking, Credit Card and Auto Industries. We have no champion on the subject of fiscal issues as the Obama Administration are busy on raising taxes using Cap & Trade and global warming as cover. We have no voice to oppose the Obama Administration as it quadruples the annual deficit. There is no one to point out Obama’s lies about cutting the deficit in half in four years using the astronomic numbers he’s run up since being in office. By his math…we start with a $500 Billion annual Deficit. He increases spending and vastly expands the Government and run’s the Annual Deficit up to $1 Trillion and makes the absurd claim that allowing the deficit to fall back to $531 Billion is cutting the Deficit he supposedly inherited in half without nary a peep from the clowns running The Republican Party and directing it’s message!"

What do you expect? Napolitano labels half the Republican base security threats in her Homeland Security report and Boehner can't even fight for a resolution condeming her actions. Voters are not sold on Obama's policies yet the Republicans don't seem to realize we don't trust them after the 1998 budget deal, Medicare expansion, No Child Left Behind, the deficits, the spending, and of course, the bailouts. Its going to take much more than saying no to Obama and offering 300-page plans filled with nice little charts and statistics.

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Sunday, May 24, 2009

The new economy?

Pretty good article in the American Thinker about how corporatism and fascism are two names for the same thing. Too often when people use the word "fascist" they are calling someone a tyrant or a Nazi. This article delves a little bit more deeply into what exactly is fascism and how the American economy is morphing away from a free-market oriented system to one that combines crony capitalism and central planning:
"Fascism should rightly be called Corporatism, as it is the merger of corporate and government power." Benito Mussolini
Some members of the Republican National Committee have recently wondered aloud what others of us wonder privately. What name do we give to the direction in which Democrats and the Obama administration are taking America?.....

Meanwhile, the consumer -- once king in the capitalist system -- becomes the benefactor of the wisdom of the bureaucrat to whom, according to Marx, "the world is a mere object to be manipulated by him."
So, what's our future to be? Expanding collaboration between big business (With GE's Immelt as the poster boy) and bigger government moving in tandem toward a kinder-and-gentler fascism?..."
The new economy?

Meanwhile, Mish calls Geithner a liar.

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No comment.

DWI listing in Baton Rouge paper today:
"Richard Nutt, 24, 17533 Reachwood"

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It's Sunday morning





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Saturday, May 23, 2009

Battle of Britain newsreels



Hard to believe England was once this courageous.

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Power

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"Bloggers beware"

The Wall Street Journal reported yesterday on the increasing use of lawsuits against bloggers:
Bloggers are increasingly getting sued or threatened with legal action for everything from defamation to invasion of privacy to copyright infringement. In 2007 -- the most recent data available -- 106 civil lawsuits against bloggers and others in social networks and online forums were tallied by the Citizen Media Law Project at the Berkman Center for Internet & Society at Harvard University, up from just 12 in 2003. There have been about $17.4 million in trial awards against bloggers to date, according to the Media Law Resource Center in New York, a nonprofit clearinghouse that tracks free-speech cases.
Many lawsuits are thrown out of court or settled before trial, but not before causing headaches for the accused. Though the likelihood of a plaintiff winning a lawsuit is not high, "you could go bankrupt" just from defending against them, says Miriam Wugmeister, a partner at Morrison & Foerster LLP and a privacy and data-security law expert.
(Note to anyone getting any ideas: I have my own law degree and don't have this problem. I'll be more than happy to stay up til 3:00 AM writing every motion I can legally support.)
The number of blogger lawsuits is likely to keep rising as the number of people who post online continues to grow, says Sandra Baron, executive director of the Media Law Resource Center and a media-law attorney. Social-networking sites such as LinkedIn, Facebook and MySpace -- which is owned by News Corp., the parent company of The Wall Street Journal -- and microblogging services like Twitter are making it easy for impetuous remarks to reach thousands of users in a matter of minutes. In March, fashion designer Dawn Simorangkir sued rocker Courtney Love for libel in Los Angeles Superior Court, accusing Ms. Love of posting disparaging remarks about the designer on Twitter and MySpace.....
At the same time, companies are increasingly employing automated technology to scour the Internet for copyrighted material and negative remarks. As a result, Web sites that purport to rate everything from college professors to doctors and contractors are being sued by recipients of disparaging reviews, according to the Berkman Center....
Civic gadflies and self-styled watchdogs who accuse local politicians and companies are getting slapped with lawsuits. People who post messages in chat rooms, online forums and blogs can be held liable for invasion of privacy or for making defamatory statements, which are damaging, false statements of fact....."
Article

I've warned a couple of local bloggers about getting sued. Unfortunately they replied they can't get sued, especially for comments made by other people. I think one day they might find out otherwise. Of course, the incentive here will be for bloggers to use screen names and keep their identities private.

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Friday, May 22, 2009

Am I nuts?

Am thinking of tackling this Two Lakes project and trying to figure the whole thing out. I might get a case of that wine below if I do.

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Starting to lose it














Watch the pupils and notice the giggles in the background. Watch the whole video. Macke is not quite all there.

His column explains his distress a little better as he says GM's CEO is off his rocker.

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Looking for a nice red?

Looking for a nice red under $20 this weekend? Kats has this wine in stock for $15:
"2003 Escudo Rojo (Chile): Escudo Rojo is a wine from Chile from Baron Philippe de Rothschild. This red shows all the power of the fine 2003 vintage as well as being the first vintage to reap the benefits of their new plantings in the Maipo Valley. Made from a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Carmnere, Syrah, and Cabernet Franc, the Escudo Rojo has plenty of ripe "new world" fruit tempered with "old world" style and elegance. I like this wine with a variety of grilled meats like lamb or beef." (K&L Wine Merchants)

I tried a bottle last weekend and it was very nice. Has the full body of a Cabernet Savignon, very smooth with a little spice that appears as you swallow it. Go by Kats and pick up a bottle.

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One more thing about Crisler......

People seem to think I dislike or hate Crisler. It's not that I dislike or hate Crisler, it's that I don't respect him. I don't respect someone who is using getting shot as an obvious and gross campaign ploy, just as I also don't respect people who shirk their duty. Duty? What do you mean, Kingfish? It's quite simple.

In August of 2007, his unit in the Mississippi Air National Guard received orders to deploy overseas ( I will not divulge which county but will say it was a former Soviet republic). The deployment was from January of 2008 to August of 2008. When the orders were issued, Crisler submitted his letter of resignation within a few days and by that I mean within a week. This is not hearsay. This is not internet chit-chat or talk radio gossip. This information is personal knowledge coming from me. You can consider me to be the primary source.

I am posting this because frankly I have had it up to here with people talking about what a great soldier and warrior he is when they have no clue about his actual service record. As a former soldier, I can say I didn't appreciate one bit the fact that friends and relatives of mine were forced to deploy to a country not too far from combat theaters while he decided to stay home. It's pretty obvious he didn't want it to affect his "political viability". (Do you remember that phrase, my fellow Clinton-haters?) While everyone talks about his Iraq duty, they fail to notice Crisler had none of his former fellow soldiers giving testimonials for him. I still seethe with anger over those guys leaving their homes and families to deploy near Russia while he sat at home playing the politician.

There is a word I and my former fellow soldiers have for officers who let their troops go to the front without them and that is a "REMF". It was a favorite term of the late Colonel David Hackworth who felt little love for perfumed princes and REMF's. Also remember the Vichy French were led by WWI veterans and Margaret Thatcher never once served a day in the military. Bismark treasured his soldiers and knew when to stop a war while the Kaiser saw war as a big game to be played by Kings. The point is, character is character and time in service is no substitute for it. He joined the MANG so he wouldn't be shipped anywhere, then when he found it was going to happen, he immediately retired. REMF.

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Thursday, May 21, 2009

State Representative Jim Evans

Here are some of State Representative Jim Evans' campaign finance reports. Anyone notice anything?

2003 Pre-election report, 2003,2003, 2003, 2003, 2007 pre-election, 2007, 2007, 2007, 2007, 2007, 2007

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Factchecking.Its.not.that.hard.

Unless you work at the Jackson Free Press and try to do math:
"To my knowledge, although most of the money reported by the Better Jackson PAC came from Two Lakes people, they did not do mailers about the development project. They used the money to run ads about crime, trying to scare people into voting for Crisler -- presumably so the Two Lakes project would get undying support.
And they didn't use the actual FBI crime stats, which show how much crime dropped during Johnson's tenure; they used Wilson's favorite old Morgan Quitno rankings, which mean nothing when actually analyzed.
I shudder to think about this kind of sleight-of-hand trickery.posted by ladd on 05/21/09 at 12:25 PM"

Well, since she has a copy of the campaign finance report, she knows the PAC raised $22,250. McGowan gave $6,000.

27%. I guess progressive math means that is a majority.

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Santelli schools bubbleheads














3:00 minute mark and on, Rick schools the CNBC D-bag.

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Karl Denninger will be on KIM Waaaaaaaaade today

5:10 to 6:00 PM CST on WJNT, 1180 AM.

Karl Denninger of the Market Ticker will be on Kim Wade's show today with me and Kim Wade. Should be very interesting as Karl will probably go against all the money honeys spouting the recovery nonsense. Problem is, Karl has been right. Here are two posts from him if you want to get up to speed on what he has been discussing lately:
Unintended consequences
No Green Shoots

Link to his forums: Ticker Forums

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Wall Street Journal is now three bucks a copy.

Price had doubled in less than a year. Thanks Rupert.

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The control freak speaks

"Jackson Needs Truth and Transparency Now — Join Us?
The false campaigning, flyers, mailers, anonymous posts on blogs, radio appearances and so on in the 2009 city elections in Jackson has encouraged many of us to get together and call for more truth and transparency in local government, campaigns, media and on personal blogs.

So today on Elction Day, the JFP is announcing the Jackson Truth and Transparency Initiative as a community project going forward. We invite you to join us, regardless of your political leanings. We want your ideas, your energy and your support for this very important initiative.
Going forward, we hope the project becomes a way to encourage Jacksonians to stop spreading so many falsehoods and to factcheck information before putting it out there. We hope to develop a "best practices" for local blogs to voluntarily sign on to pledge that they will not spread unsubstantiated rumors and operate as breeding grounds for anonymous posters to spread lies for their own personal benefit and vendettas. We want to encourage more people to post on Web sites under their own names wherever possible and avoid anonymity, and the abuses that often accompanies it (much as people already do on Facebook.....posted by ladd on 05/19/09 at 02:46 PM "

I've never seen a publication that smears people, gets its facts consistently wrong, outright lies, and slants its coverage the way that rag does. Then there is her latest habit of ripping off this blog which she seems to have developed in the last few weeks. Donna Ladd is the last person in this town who should be calling for truth and transparency from others. I have a feeling this is more about her trying to control the competition from other blogs that didn't exist a few years ago. Looks like she did learn a few tricks from Gannett after all.

As far as I'm concerned she can take her intitiative and shove it up her ass.

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Awesome classics



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Wednesday, May 20, 2009

Precinct totals for Wards 1 & 6 in Mayor's Race

Very interesting results

very interesting. While Crisler won Ward 1, Harvey doubled his votes in the same ward.

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Congratulations Harvey Johnson

Congratulations to Harvey Johnson, who won a third term yesterday at the polls. It was a hard-fought race and soon-to-be-Mayor Johnson did all the right things in crushing Mr. Crisler. I predicted he would win 60% of the vote and I wasn't too far off as he received 63%. To put in even better perspective, Johnson was roughly 2,000 votes shy of doubling Crisler's votes. It was an ass-whupping no matter how you slice and dice it. And yes, I voted for Harvey.

Some random thoughts about the election:

All over Northeast Jackson last night there were gasps of shock as people couldn't believe Crisler lost so badly after so much money was poured into his candidacy. However, local elections are never just about money. While the money train works at the statewide level and above, it only goes so far at the municipal level. Money poorly spent can't overcome demographics, a machine already in place, and boots on the ground that will get out the vote.

Crisler not a good candidate
To put it mildly, Crisler was not a good candidate. He had no experience whatsoever managing a budget, much less one of $350 million. He has been a street-level cop for over 15 years. He served in the military and saw combat but that is still no substitute for experience in running a business or government agency. The city council is weak by design, making it hard for a would-be mayor to gain the executive experience needed to run a city. What is ironic is the businessmen who were touting his abilities as a candidate even though he had no applicable experience would never hire him to replace themselves in their businesses.

If anything, Crisler has been a follower, not a leader. When interviewed by the Jackson Free Press, he favored commuter or occupational taxes. When suddenly supported by the business community, he stood against them. He never rose to a top position in the Hinds County Sheriff's office. He could never mention any real accomplishments showing what he could do as a Mayor. David Watkins can point to his projects. Harvey Johnson can rattle off statistics and little factoids about his previous service as Mayor. Beverly Hogan can mention her landing the Civil Rights Museum for Tougaloo as well as what has happened at Tougaloo under her tenure. LeRoy Walker has his track record as a businessman. Mr. Crisler has years of service in government but what was actually accomplished?

Money, money, money
Another lesson about the race is the role of money. Money is the lifeblood of any campaign and the Crisler campaign was rolling in the dough as they outspent Harvey more than 4:1. However, the campaign made critical mistakes. First, they brought in a campaign manager from out of state who was last seen running Gary Anderson's campaign, a campaign known for its ineptness. It seemed the campaign had no control over surrogates or those who didn't want to see Harvey win. The money was spent like an Obama bailout: money thrown at everything while nothing is actually accomplished.

The campaign should have been prepared for the issue of Crisler's 2000 bankruptcy but oddly enough didn't deal with it as they hoped no one would notice. They ignored a fundamental rule of electoral politics: if there is a public record with your candidate's name on it, it will be found by the opponent or the media. Crisler ignored changes to appear in the media in friendly venues. He bought two days on a local radio talk show this week then backed out at the last minute. Apparently the prospect of answering a tough question scared them off as the Crisler camp preferred settings where their baby boy wouldn't get hurt. Fox40 wanted to interview him about his goals and policies in detail. It was meant to be friendly and not "gotcha" journalism. He wasn't interested. As the campaign wore on, Crisler looked more and more managed and not his own man.

The money people failed to realize several things. One is that by donating so much money to Crisler, they became the targets and Crisler suffered for it. They figured they could just dump a bunch of money as they do for a typical Republican candidate with little notice. Unfortunately, more than a few noticed. Crisler never appeared to be his own man as did Melton when he raised over $600,000. Melton rolled in the dough but never gave the impression he was managed by others. They should have copied a trick from Jim Evans, racist extraordinaire, and funneled the money to Crisler through a bunch of people in amounts of $200 or less (which doesn't get reported).

The Better Jackson PAC was a perfect example of this thinking. While others can ruminate over their filing issues and grand conspiracies, what is interesting is how the PAC's money was spent. Circulars and ads. Nothing for a get out the vote effort. Nothing to get voters to the polls or phone banks. Harvey had a machine designed to get out the vote, Crisler's was designed to get out a message. Messages are nice but don't always translate into votes. Republicans make fun of the buses but the point is, the buses are carrying votes.

If I was advising Crisler, I would have made the following recommendations:
1. Run for Congress last year even though you will lose. The goal is not to win but instead use the race as a dress rehearsal. Meet the voters. Learn the district. Get the name out there. Learn what works and doesn't work. Apply those lessons to the Mayoral election.

2. Hire a local campaign manager, someone who knows the players, the hot buttons, and what the big no-no's are. Hire someone who wins at machine politics and actually has a winning track record. Resumes don't lie.

3. Push for some major reforms or legislation while on the City Council even if you lose. Show yourself as a fighter. Jeff Weill has assumed the role of government watchdog in less than two years, something Crisler has never done in eight. Doing so would have built up his "street cred" and gained him respect from the voters.

4. You lost. Politicians lose races and recover from them all of the time. Harvey lost to Ditto. Reagan lost to Ford. Mac lost to McAdory. You can recover from this and win. State Representative Wooten will be running for re-election in two years. Its your ward, you can win this race. Take a few months off, then start working to run for that office. You lost the Mayor's race. Learn from it. Go out and beat her as she has not exactly set the world on fire since she unseated Reeves.

Just some rambling unsophisticated musings after enduring yet another election season. Feel free to discuss or fire away. I'll probably add some more to this post as I think of them.

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Tuesday, May 19, 2009

Don't worry, Jackson Jambalaya is here

Don't worry white folks of Jackson, Jackson Jambalaya is here to help you after Harvey's win tonight. I predicted Harvey would win 60-40, and was pretty close to the final results. Now some of us are making preparations in earnest to help those who will be in need of assistance after Harvey's win.

With the help of several NJammers such as Wilson Carroll, Colonel David Sanders, the Y'all Politics nation, Ben Allen, and Sonjay Poontang, Jackson Jambalaya is setting up an underground railroad to help white people escape Jackson. This will be a traumatic time for many, as Harvey and his mob force them to leave their homes, but don't worry; JJ will be ready to help those in need, thanks to several grants provided by MEMA. The starting point for the underground railroad will be provided on this website tomorrow. In the event Harvey decides to ship them back to Europe, JJ has worked out a deal with the federal government whereas a special booth will be set up to expedite passports to a same-day level of service, so refugees are not held up at Gitmo and can go back to Europe. Free booze will be provided by Better Jackson PAC sponsor Fenian's as it literally liquidates its inventory. Stay tuned to this website for further details or listen to the Gallo Radio Show, as Paul Gallo broadcasts on his new underground radio station (WFMN goes to Perez as he will bring back the Q).

Note: JJ has been unable to determine if there is any truth to the rumor that the Johnson administration will be setting up re-education camps in NE Jackson for black NJammers.

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Election night open thread. Fire away.

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More docs on Better Jackson PAC

Better Jackson PAC organizational Documents

Turns out it was faxed in but to Tillman, as the fax confirmation sheet shows, although the cover sheet has the correct number.

I report, you decide.

Ladd committing plagiarism in 3...2....1......

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Precinct totals from Ward 1

These totals were taken in the last 45 minutes:

Precinct 32: 208 votes
Precinct 33: 313 votes
Precinct 34: 516 votes
Precinct 45: 540 votes.

Louise Williams at Precinct 44 was very rude. Unless I was an actual reporter or with a campaign and had credentials, she would not let me have a total.

Here are the totals from two weeks ago taken between 3:00 and 4:00 PM:
Precinct 45: 614 votes
Precinct 34: 536 votes (Updated at 5:00 PM) 1016 votes in 2005.
Precinct 33: 465 votes (6:45 update)

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Better Jackson PAC campaign finance report filed

Just received email from Wilson Carrol (Whom I've never spoken to or met) containing the campaign finance report for the Better Jackson PAC. It raised $22,250 in contributions and
spent 18,210 as of May 12, 2009.

The donor list is a diverse one as hit contains liberals and conservatives, individuals and local businesses:
William R. James (principal in Pruett Oil): $1,000
John Piggot (attorney): $1,000
James H. Creekmore (principal in Cellular South): $5,000
Fenians Pub: $1,000
C. Victor Welsh, III (attorney): $500
J.E. Roberts, Jr. (attorney): $500
Crymes Pittman (attorney): $2,000
Mrs. W.E. Walker, Jr.: $250
John W. McGowan (Do I need to say it?): $6,000
Ann & Ricky Calhoun: $1,000
Business Park, LLC: $1,000
William Lamar: $1,000
Richard & Kristen Miller: $1,000

Copy of report

**Exclusive: Must credit Jackson Jambalaya. Jackson Free Press: That means you**

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Does this even deserve a comment?

"We need best practices policies for local Web sites and blogs; we need a pledge that all politicians sign saying that they will help root out all the secret trash being hurled in their names; we need a special cell number that people can call when they see suspicious activity (like someone papering the windshields of churches on the Sunday before election day).This is happening, folks. Othor and I are going to convene meetings about how to proceed. Let us know if you want to help. posted by ladd on 05/19/09 at 11:30 AM"


Does she really want to go there?

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What's good for the goose........

Over at the Jackson Free Press:
"Someone claiming to be Northside Sun columnist David Sanders has just come out as a member of Better Jackson PAC on a Jackson Jambalaya thread (which I'm not linking here, as it's 50 messages and starts off as a rant against Donna, but if you really want to see it you can email me and I'll send you the URL):David Sanders said...I am a part of the Better Jackson PAC. There is nothing secretive about it. I will have a column in this week's Northside Sun commenting on this non-event that has the JFP so exercised.May 18, 2009 10:00 AMI would say that if the names are secret, there is by definition "something secretive about it"...
posted by
Tom Head on 05/18/09 at 09:32 PM"

Tell you what Tom, how about we have some full disclosure here and have you fess up to all the anti-Donna Ladd comments you made over here under screenames such as "I Believe in Donna Ladd" while you are kissing up to her over there. If I remember correctly, you've probably made over two dozen of them.

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So Kalunda tells me last night

after he's drunk a twelve-pack of Moosehead that if Harvey wins, Faye is in as City Attorney and Mac is trying to get his lawyer daughter hired at the D.A.'s office. Hmmm...now I wonder what could motivate him to do such a thing.

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Monday, May 18, 2009

Sanders Speaks!!!

The Jackson Free Press is currently covering a story about a PAC mailing anti-Harvey Johnson circulars in Northeast Jackson. One member of the PAC, David Sanders (No relation to Enoch) wrote a column defending the committee, to be published in the next edition of the Northside Sun (due out Thursday). As the column will appear after the election, Mr. Sanders, with the Sun's permission, has provided me with a copy of his column. It should also be noted Projack wrote a post Friday on JJ denouncing the mailer. Below are excerpts from the column:

"Of particular local interest is the claim that raising the subject of crime is really only a covert way of raising the subject of race in an inflammatory fashion. In fact, the left increasingly identifies any subject it does not want examined as a surrogate for racial animus.....
Thus it unfolded that, when some of us who support Marshand Crisler in the current race for mayor formed a PAC (Political Action Committee) to campaign in support of our candidate, in part by pointing out the shortcomings of his opponent during the latter’s previous sojourn in office, we inevitably ran afoul of the local keepers of the mantra that any mention of crime constitutes an attack on black people in general. Chief among the local keepers of the leftist orthodoxy is a tabloid and on-line publication called the Jackson Free Press. Our PAC sent a mailer to parts of the city where crime is a salient issue, pointing out that our opponent failed to hire a police chief for fifteen months, while crime ran rampant in our city. The mailer also cited quotes from the Clarion Ledger referencing a study by an outfit called Morgan Quitno that ranked Jackson as one of the country’s most dangerous cities during that period when our opponent was mayor.
A commonly employed device at the JFP is to attack any document or publication it does not like by obsessively chanting that it is “taken out of context” or “misused,” without ever disproving any of its substantive conclusions. Thus, the Morgan Quitno study is definitively dismissed as “discredited,” much in the same way that the global warming hypothesis is enshrined as a “scientific consensus” even while thousands of scientists dispute it. Further proof – as if it were needed – that our PAC is contaminated by conspiratorial malice is that it includes one of the JFP’s leading bête noires, local lawyer Wilson Carroll, who had the effrontery to run for District Attorney against (Gasp!) a black woman supported by the JFP. The JFP “discovered” and trumpeted this damning connection between Carroll and our PAC, as if some attempt had been made to conceal it.
the folks at the JFP seem to think they have made some decisive, game-changing point merely by “revealing” that white people in northeast Jackson are talking about crime. From my eighteen years as president of our neighborhood association, I have first-hand knowledge that crime is the single issue most on the minds of people in northeast Jackson. It is not an irrational fixation: one of my neighbors on his daily pre-dawn walk recently had a car stop beside him, from which alit a young entrepreneur of crime who pressed a pistol to my neighbor’s temple and demanded valuables. My neighbor considers himself fortunate that he was not shot for failure to maintain on his person at all times an amount of money sufficient to relieve the financial distress of an indigent criminal....
So, after the high drama of the Melton years, we thought that the memory of the good ol’ Harvey Johnson days may have faded somewhat. So we set about to remind folks of that halcyon time, when we had a police chief who spent most of his time and energy arguing that the people he was selected to protect had overblown “perceptions” of crime and should just chill. And yes, we sent the mailer to areas where we thought that the message would resonate. (Our deviousness knows no bounds!) By election day (I am writing this on Sunday before the election) we will have also dispatched “robo-calls,” recorded messages urging recipients to go vote for our candidate. And, get this: we will run radio spots on Monday and Tuesday urging people to get out and vote. (The horror!) But that’s not all – we will run these spots on stations that we think will be heard by more people likely to vote for our candidate than for his opponent. (The inhumanity!)
And if it hadn’t been for the dastardly Jackson Free Press, we would have gotten away with all of this scandalous behavior right under everyone’s noses. How could we anticipate that they had such advanced skills as using the Internet to check an address? Curses!.......
Jackson, in my view, has a better racial climate than most other places. This arises in part from the division of political and economic power. Blacks have virtually all of the political power in Jackson and Hinds County, while whites still have a disproportionate share of the economic power. Each wants some of what the other has, which leads to trade-offs and bargaining, which leads to real relationships. Just as trade among nations generally produces peace and prosperity, so it is among groups of people. Jackson will probably have black mayors for as long as anyone can see into the future, or until such time as race truly no longer matters. That does not mean that white voters do not have a stake in matters or that their voice should not be heard. The JFP can indulge in all the flatulence its readers can stand about the “creative class” and other leftist fantasies. The people Wilson and I represent have equally legitimate political and social objectives. This is our city, too. Deal with it.

R. David Sanders

May 17, 2009"

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More on the Crisler bankruptcy

Fox40 broadcast a story Friday night about Marshand Crisler's 2000 bankruptcy. It was a very thorough piece and at times had Crisler on the ropes. However, there was one question that would not go away and that was exactly how did Fox40 have the entire file? I went to PACER and only a two page summary sheet was available.

I called the U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Jackson today and confirmed my suspicions. The entire file, listing all creditors and other personal financial information, is not here in Jackson but is in Georgia. To obtain a copy of that file, one has to file a request with the court in Jackson. It takes a week to process that request. The request is then sent to Atlanta, where it takes on average 2-4 weeks for a copy of the file to be made and returned to Jackson.

In other words, someone filed this request probably more than a month ago for a copy of the file and then somehow it managed to make it to Fox40's broadcast the Friday before the election.

Tell me this wasn't a hit piece.

Next question is, who filed the request with the Court?

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Here is the crime data for Jackson through 2002.


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Open thread about the Mayor's race.

Fire away.

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See any interesting election flyers?

Election day is tomorrow and apparently the flyer wars are raging. If you come across one particularly um, colorful, fax it to me at 901-328-9565. No cover sheet is needed. It's my fax to email service. I'm going to publish them Wednesday.

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Sunday, May 17, 2009

Sterne Agee: "Retrieve this bottle of wine"

It seems Mr. Robert Smith of Sterne Agee sent Councilman Jeff Weill a bottle of wine to show his appreciation in voting to refinance Jackson's bonds with interest rate swaps. Problem was, Mr. Weill voted no on the refinances. Mr. Weill even sent a letter to Mr. Smith that reads:

"Mr. Robert Smith
Sterne Agee
140 East 45th Street 18th Floor
New York, NY 10017
Re: Your recent gift
Dear Mr. Smith:
I recently received a bottle of wine from Sterne Agee with your handwritten note (a copy is enclosed) which says: “Thank you for the vote and the transaction. All of our very best, Robert Smith, Sterne Agee”. I’m not sure what vote and transaction you are referring to.
Under ordinary circumstances I feel perfectly comfortable accepting a small gift of appreciation. Under these circumstances the inference is that I am receiving this gift “for the vote and the transaction” which creates an appearance of impropriety.
On the same day I also received a fed-ex package which was empty. A copy of my letter to the sender at Sterne Agee is enclosed concerning that matter.
Please arrange to retrieve this bottle of wine at your earliest opportunity
. "

Kudos to Mr. Weill for sending this letter for Sterne Agee. The more we learn about this deal the more it smells, and this bottle of wine was nothing but vinegar. It's nice to know we have a councilman who looks out for the rest of us.

Letter (Wordperfect format)

Earlier posts:
Sterne Agee V.P. son of Melton's physician
Copy of Sterne Agee contract
Jackson paying $4 million in fees
Will Jackson become like Jefferson County?
Municipal Carnage caused by Wall Street

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It's Sunday morning





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Saturday, May 16, 2009

Now for the REST of the story about why Ladd dislikes Wilson Carroll so much.

Apparently Donna Ladd can't get over her obsession with Wilson Carroll. It's pretty obvious when she posts about him she has a special place in her heart for him, as her venom reaches a new level. What drives her to such histrionics? Probably it's because a few years ago she made a complete fool of herself.

Several of us around town have received emails from Madame DeLadd that are super-secret and off the record. I have one where she asks me to slant my coverage of the D.A.'s race towards Faye. Her emails always say "Off the record." Um, if I want something off the record I call the person and damn sure don't email him but that is just me.

Several years ago Wilson Carroll, the former candidate for D.A., joked on Mississippipolitics.com about how the JFP was one day going to "go down in flames." Most people would take such a comment to mean the JFP would one day fail and go out of business. However, some people take such descriptions literally or to be threatening, which she did.

She sent an email to Alan Lange, the owner of Mississippipolitics.com, with its usual disclaimers of "off the record", that was hysterical in talking about how her staff and their families didn't deserve such threats and how such jokes were "references to harm the JFP". She mentioned how crazies will read such things (with the inference being they will act on them). I'm not kidding. She even admits calling and yelling at him about this matter. She then spends a full page talking about how she doesn't care what people think about her. At the end there is a lecture on how he should responsibly monitor his website. She also says that she is sending a copy of her email and the alleged offenses to both Alan's and Wilson's wives. You got it, she decided she would interfere in their marriages. And she wonders why people dislike her so much. This email was 3 pages long and was one of several. As for Mr. Lange's response?

Let's just say it was perfect, short, and to the point.

By the way, here are the two posts that produced her histrionics:

"Johnny wrote:
Trolls, I don't know if there was any truth to the rumor, but didn't Donna
accuse someone, that is often posting on this site, of threatening to blow
up or burn down her office? January 9, 2006 08:05 AM

Greg wrote:
Johnny, That's true. I believe it was because someone suggested, in the context of
the JFP's abysmal record at picking political candidates, that they were
"going down in flames." You have to be careful what you say about the Fondrazon. You might be accused of threatening to drown her if you describe the JFP as being "up a
creek without a paddle," or of suffocating her if you say she's "in over her head," or of being a sophomoric egomaniacal neo-socialist busybody if you... well, you know."

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Another Dallas classic

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Ok, I owe an apology to Cheryl Lasseter.

WLBT broadcast a story on the bond refinancing Thursday night that has been heavily covered here. I got a couple of text messages and emails saying I was ripped off. I let my anger get the best of me and the next day wrote a post about the story that was very sarcastic, took the jackassery too far, and made some less than flattering remarks and insinuations about her abilities as a reporter. Sometimes we let our anger get the best of us and I'm no exception. She was given her assignment by the news editor and worked the story from scratch and she should be commended for doing so as this is not exactly easy to understand nor is it exciting. I took the post down for the simple reason it didn't include any new information and its not fair to Ms. Lasseter for someone using google one day to come across her name and the dreaded P word or something similar. I will post her actual story below and say its nice to see WLBT. It is important to cover this story as it might be boring stuff but its better than covering a story in a few years over how Jackson will have to triple its water/sewer fees because these little swaps blew up in our faces. The story will be much more exciting to report then but I don't think we want to go there. I don't mind making corrections here on JJ and when I'm wrong, I'll say I'm wrong and this is no exception. To Mrs. Lasseter, I humbly apologize.


"JACKSON, MS (WLBT) - On April 7, the Jackson City Council voted to enter into an interest rate swap package on a multi-million dollar bond. Jeff Weill and Margaret Barrett-Simon voted against it. Kenneth Stokes was not present. But it passed with the remaining four voting in favor.
The City's Financial Director, Rick Hill, says it's not the first time the city has chosen a variable and fixed rate mix to pay bond interest. This one is projected to save a million dollars a year until the public works bond matures in 2034, and the savings will go into a reserve.
Hill says FSA Insurance guarantees the bond, so FSA must approve all bond-related transactions. Right now, FSA AND Deutsche Bank are negotiating on the terms of the interest rate swap; in fact the swap may never materialize.
But one deal is sealed: certain financial interests will get paid a contingency just because the City Council voted in favor of the swap. City Attorney Sarah O'Reilly-Evans, Sterne Agee, Rice Financial Group, and others will get paid tens, even hundreds of thousands of dollars whether or not a deal is ever inked.
Ward 1 Councilman Jeff Weill says the terms of the fees payable aren't clear, and the Council should never have passed something it doesn't understand. "This is the first I've heard, when you told me this could fall through. If it fell through, I think that would be wonderful news," he says. "This isn't a simple adjustable rate. This is a derivative transaction which is far above the understanding of anyone in city government."
3 On Your Side found out hundreds of other U.S. cities and towns have gambled and lost on municipal bond derivatives, including areas of nearby Tennessee.
Even so, Hill assures us that the way Jackson's package is designed, the city will pay only a fixed rate on the bond when it's all said and done.
Hill says we should know by next week if the deal will materialize.
"

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Money quote of the day

Over at the Jackson Free Press:
"When both the Free Press and the Advocate endorse you, you have a pretty diverse support base. We seldom agree with the Advocate...... posted by ladd on 05/16/09 at 09:15 AM"

Yup, pretty diverse when the communists and socialists both endorse you.

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Friday, May 15, 2009

Tonight, on Dallas.........

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Crisler GOTV Effort Hypes Crime to GOPers

Is Marshand Crisler worried that NEJammers won't turn out on Tuesday?

I ask all readers how is this any different than the southern strategy?

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Crisler filed bankruptcy in 2000

Apparently Jackson Mayoral candidate Marshand Crisler filed chapter 7 bankruptcy in 2000 according to PACER. A petition for bankruptcy was file on March 3, 2000 and discharged on June 16, 2000. PACER summary

Update: I watched the Fox 40 report on this tonight. This was a hit piece, no doubt. Only a summary sheet is available on PACER. Someone had to go down to the courthouse and copy the file as they had a copy of everything from the bankruptcy and I wonder if they have the files from 2000. Sometimes if the files are old enough they are placed in storage in another city and it takes several weeks to obtain copies. Frankly, Fox 40 gutted him pretty good as he gave some weak answers. Hold on to your seats boys and girls, it appears we are in for a ride between now and Tuesday.

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GM taking a cleaver to Jackson

Just got word one of the three Chevy dealerships in the area will be on the chopping block today. Let's just say they are on pins and needles at all three. Pray for those working at these local businesses.

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Thursday, May 14, 2009

Democrats: driving us off the cliff

Barney Frank continues to cement his hold on the title of "Most Dangerous Congressman to the Economy" as he sponsors a bill to have the Feds guarantee all municipal bonds:
"Investors are concerned about ability of state and local governments to pay off their municipal bonds, and lately, some governments have even been experiencing trouble raising money through bonds.
Congressional Democrats will soon push measures for the federal government to reinsure, help purchase and regulate municipal bonds, according to Congressional staff and industry sources...

This latest intervention would:
Create a liquidity facility through the Federal Reserve to purchase municipal bonds, much like what the Federal Reserve does with mortgage-backed and federal government bonds.
Form a temporary federal government program to reinsure municipal bond insurers. Almost all municipalities buy bond insurance because it boosts their credit ratings. The cost of the insurance is usually lower than the higher interest payments that come with a lower credit rating. If the insurer runs into financial trouble, then the credit ratings on the municipal bonds drop because there is doubt about the insurance. Government backing would eliminate that concern. ....
" Another Frank disaster

We've bailed out everyone else, now we should take over the entire municipal bond market. Just print up alot more money, its our printing presses after all. This is a bad idea for several reasons.

1. This will make all local governments that use bonds completely dependant on the federal government. Does a local government want to save millions because of the better credit rating? It will dance to the feds tune. Obama's recent tactic to force California to reverse pay cuts for its employees while it goes broke in exchange for stimulus money is a sign of what will happen if this bill goes through. Expect the federal government to place enough conditions on qualifying for such insurance that all local governments will become sub-units of the federal government. Working conditions, diversity, educational policies, salaries, and other forms of micromanagement will come from Vito and Bruno in D.C.

2. The only way the federal government can do this is to print more money on top of the trillions it will create to fund Obama's bailouts, deficit spending, and healthcare plans.

3. This creates a bogus credit rating. The feds are going to give all bonds the same level of insurance, which won't be priced for risk as the private insurers do. This will cost us even more money as it has in other areas when premiums didn't reflect risk (mortgage insurance for example).

4. This will make the Fed the only buyer of Treasuries as it will destroy the treasury market.

However, the Feds are just getting cranked up. Having learned nothing and forgotten everything of the last few years, they are about to destroy the FHA program. A homebuyer now can get an $8,000 tax credit for buying a home. The government is now going to allow homebuyers to use that tax credit for the down payment with an FHA mortgage. FHA requires a 3.5% down payment. FHA borrowers that do not put any money down have foreclosure rates that are three times as high as those that do. The number of FHA borrowers defaulting without even making a first payment is skyrocketing yet the Feds seem to think the only thing to do is to encourage the insanity to continue:
"Donovan (HUD Secretary) said the government will allow first-time homebuyers to use the $8,000 tax credit approved by Congress in February as a down payment on mortgages guaranteed by the Federal Housing Administration. To qualify for the credit, purchases must be completed before Dec. 1." More insanity

Its going to get worse.

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Wednesday, May 13, 2009

Sterne Agee V.P. Is Son of Melton's Physician and Nephew of Hinds County Supervisor

The details on the interest rate swap used to refinance Jackson's 2002 and 2004 bonds continue to bubble up to the surface of the swamp that is Jackson's political scene. While Jackson travels down the path to disaster, Jefferson County,AL, Houston, and other cities found out the hard way what happened when they went down the same path after listening to some smooth-talking shysters from Wall Street.

Sterne Agee is the "bond advisor" for Jackson on this particular deal. When the deal closes, Sterne Agee will reap $476,000 for its "advice." In addition to this fee, Sterne Agee will also receive at least $50,000 per year for four years to "monitor" the swaps. Nice grub if you can get it. Earlier post on Sterne Agee contract, includes copy of contract

One might be tempted to ask how Sterne Agee wound up with such a nice deal. It turns out there is a Mississippi Connection at Sterne Agee and it's not their local office. Robert A. Smith, Jr. is a Vice President in the Public Finance Group in the New York City office of Sterne Agee. His biography on the company website states: "He has over 13 years of experience in trading, sales, and deal structuring. Prior to joining Sterne Agee, Mr. Smith was employed at JPMorgan Securities, Inc. He earned a B.S. from The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, and holds professional license (Series 7 & 63)."

Sterling credentials. However, the 37 year-old Smith is also the son of Dr. Robert A. Smith, Sr. of Jackson, Ms and graduated from St. Joseph's High School in Jackson. Dr. Smith (read his life story some time, it's very impressive) was Frank Melton's personal physician. WAPT reported:
"During a hearing on Monday, Jordan heard from Melton's physicians, Dr. Myrna Alexander and Dr. Robert Smith, about the mayor's health." WAPT story There are numerous media stories citing Dr. Smith as Melton's doctor. Dr. Smith also happens to be the brother of Hinds County Supervisor George Smith.

Unfortunately, this is more proof this deal is a bad one for Jackson, as it's clear the local political bosses are only interested in looting Jackson as they bankrupt the city. Jim Evans' wife gets $60,000. Baker Donelson gets $120,000. Local attorney Anthony Simon gets $60,000. The firm that employs the son of Melton's physician gets $476,000 up front and at least another $200,000 in future years. All for refinancing bonds that when first issued, cost $2.5 million less in fees then they will now. Let the party begin.

Earlier posts:
Will Jackson become the next Jefferson County?
Jackson paying $4 million in fees
Municipal Carnage caused by Wall Street

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Meredith Whitney calls out the rally














Think the rally is real? Guess again.

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Here is the REST of the story, Bert.

WLBT video

Bert Case interviewed Sheriff McMillin yesterday about the issue of whether large campaign donations made to him by the Irbys affected the Karen Irby investigation. Mr. Case pointed out in his story they gave $9,000 to Mac in the 2007 election. Unfortunately, Mr. Case didn't bother to report what was in earlier campaign finance reports. If he had, he would have discovered they gave $23,600 to Mac's campaigns over the years. Regular readers of JJ already knew this from an earlier post, Toxicology reports & campaign donations.

It also would have been nice if Mr. Case asked Mac more pointed questions. What did he think he was going to say? "Yes Bert, I did allow their money to affect how she was treated by JPD." Please. How about asking him why he refused to release toxicology reports when most jurisdictions do release them in a timely manner. How about asking him about his stating he wouldn't arrest her because she couldn't go anywhere or how could the county be responsible for her medical bills why she is out on bond? She is still going to therapy and under the care of a doctor yet the county isn't paying for those bills now while she is out on bond. What changed? I'm being harsh and Mr. Case has a reputation over the years for asking tough questions. One wishes he has reported the campaign finance angle in more detail and asked some tougher questions.

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Tuesday, May 12, 2009

WHAT THE HELL??????


"Playboy may no longer be a monthly magazine.
Faced with drops in circulation and advertising, Playboy Enterprises Inc. is considering reducing the number of issues as well as raising the price of its $5.99 flagship monthly magazine
. " Story

WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON? You can take away the newspaper, Obama can screw up the economy and healthcare, Irby can go to Florida with Mac as a chaffeur all she wants but dammit, you don't screw with Playboy Magazine. I knew when Rankin County allowed a vote for liquor it was a bad omen.

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Too funny.



Time to go back to what JJ does best.

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Market Ticker: Green shoots are weeds.

The money honeys are now screaming the new mantra: "green shoots", "green shoots", the economy is coming back. If a stockbroker farted in an upward direction they would scream "recovery". Over the Market Ticker, Mr. Denninger has a few things to say about the green shoots. Normally I would post a quote but there are some many kernels of good information in this column by Denninger I will just post a link and say read all of it.

Telling it like it is

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SEC going after JP Morgan for ripping off Jefferson County

Bloomberg reports the SEC is finally going after JP Morgan Chase:
"May 7 (Bloomberg) -- JPMorgan Chase & Co. said U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission officials approved filing an enforcement action against it for securities law violations involving bond and swap sales for Jefferson County, Alabama.
Jefferson County, the home of Birmingham, faces bankruptcy on $3 billion of floating-rate sewer debt after interest rates surged when the credit ratings of insurers backing the bonds were cut amid losses on unrelated mortgage securities. The county is negotiating with creditors including JPMorgan to restructure debt payments. ..."
Bloomberg Story

Bloomberg reports JP Morgan overcharged Jefferson County by $45 million on fees related to the interest rate swaps. Read the rest of the story, it has a good explanation of how these instruments of financial destruction work. Meanwhile, Jackson goes full speed ahead on doing the same thing. Whoever wins the election is going to have some fun in a few years when these hit the fan.

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Monday, May 11, 2009

For the last time: The Irby divorce petition is EXPIRED!!! GOT THAT WAPT & Clarion-Ledger?

KINN (Karen Irby News Network) got it wrong tonight:
"A clerk with the Hinds County Chancery Court said Monday that there is a divorce petition pending for the Irbys. The divorce petition was filed in Sept. 15, 2008 by Stuart Irby, court records show. The complaint alleges habitual cruel and inhuman treatment and irreconcilable differences. The couple has been married since June 11, 2005, but has been legally since September 12, 2008. However, they Irbys continued to live together in their Jackson home, according to the documents.
The Irbys have a 3-year-old son.
"
WAPT story

Just one problem. If WAPT had bothered to actually READ the file or ask the clerk on the phone if there had been service of process filed, they would've discovered there WAS no service of process filed and thus under the Mississippi Rules of Civil Procedure, the petition expired as there was no service filed within 120 days after the petition was filed.
Original post on divorce petition

Rule 4(h) of the Mississippi Rules of Civil Procedure states:
"(h) Summons: Time Limit for Service. If a service of the summons and complaint
is not made upon a defendant within 120 days after the filing of the complaint and the party on whose behalf such service was required cannot show good cause why such service was not made within that period, the action shall be dismissed as to that defendant without
prejudice upon the court's own initiative with notice to such party or upon motion."


Jimmie Gates of the Clarion-Ledger mentioned the divorce petition in his story Friday and made the same mistake, said it was pending. I have a feeling WAPT just copied the newspaper and got the clerk to verify. If they are going to report on these court documents, then they should actually READ them. Pitiful.

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Trollfest '09

Trollfest '07 was such a success that Jackson Jambalaya will once again host Trollfest '09. Catch this great event which will leave NE Jackson & Fondren in flames. Othor Cain and his band, The Black Power Structure headline the night while Sonjay Poontang returns for an encore performance. Former Frank Melton bodyguard Marcus Wright makes his premier appearance at Trollfest singing "I'm a Sweet Transvestite" from "The Rocky Horror Picture Show." Kamikaze will sing his new hit, “How I sold out to da Man.” Robbie Bell again performs: “Mamas, don't let your babies grow up to be Bells” and “Any friend of Ed Peters is a friend of mine”. After the show, Ms. Bell will autograph copies of her mug shot photos. In a salute to “Dancing with the Stars”, Ms. Bell and Hinds County District Attorney Robert Smith will dance the Wango Tango.

Wrestling returns, except this time it will be a Battle Royal with Othor Cain, Ben Allen, Kim Wade, Haley Fisackerly, Alan Lange, and “Big Cat” Donna Ladd all in the ring at the same time. The Battle Royal will be in a steel cage, no time limit, no referee, and the losers must leave town. Marshand Crisler will be the honorary referee (as it gives him a title without actually having to do anything).


Meet KIM Waaaaaade at the Entergy Tent. For five pesos, Kim will sell you a chance to win a deed to a crack house on Ridgeway Street stuffed in the Howard Industries pinata. Don't worry if the pinata is beaten to shreds, as Mr. Wade has Jose, Emmanuel, and Carlos, all illegal immigrants, available as replacements for the it. Upon leaving the Entergy tent, fig leaves will be available in case Entergy literally takes everything you have as part of its Trollfest ticket price adjustment charge.

Donna Ladd of The Jackson Free Press will give several classes on learning how to write. Smearing, writing without factchecking, and reporting only one side of a story will be covered. A donation to pay their taxes will be accepted and she will be signing copies of their former federal tax liens. Ms. Ladd will give a dramatic reading of her two award-winning essays (They received The Jackson Free Press "Best Of" awards.) "Why everything is always about me" and "Why I cover murders better than anyone else in Jackson".

In the spirit of helping those who are less fortunate, Trollfest '09 adopts a cause for which a portion of the proceeds and donations will be donated: Keeping Frank Melton in his home. The “Keep Frank Melton From Being Homeless” booth will sell chances for five dollars to pin the tail on the jackass. John Reeves has graciously volunteered to be the jackass for this honorable excursion into saving Frank's ass. What's an ass between two friends after all? If Mr. Reeves is unable to um, perform, Speaker Billy McCoy has also volunteered as when the word “jackass” was mentioned he immediately ran as fast as he could to sign up.


In order to help clean up the legal profession, Adam Kilgore of the Mississippi Bar will be giving away free, round-trip plane tickets to the North Pole where they keep their bar complaint forms (which are NOT available online). If you don't want to go to the North Pole, you can enjoy Brant Brantley's (of the Mississippi Commission on Judicial Performance) free guided tours of the quicksand field over by High Street where all complaints against judges disappear. If for some reason you are unable to control yourself, never fear; Judge Houston Patton will operate his jail where no lawyers are needed or allowed as you just sit there for minutes... hours.... months...years until he decides he is tired of you sitting in his jail. Do not think Judge Patton is a bad judge however as he plans to serve free Mad Dog 20/20 to all inmates.

Trollfest '09 is a pet-friendly event as well. Feel free to bring your dog with you and do not worry if your pet gets hungry, as employees of the Jackson Zoo will be on hand to provide some of their animals as food when it gets to be feeding time for your little loved one.

Relax at the Fox News Tent. Since there are only three blonde reporters in Jackson (being blonde is a requirement for working at Fox News), Megan and Kathryn from WAPT and Wendy from WLBT will be on loan to Fox. To gain admittance to the VIP section, bring either your Republican Party ID card or a Rebel Flag. Bringing both and a torn-up Obama yard sign will entitle you to free drinks served by Megan, Wendy, and Kathryn. Get your tickets now. Since this is an event for trolls, no ID is required. Just bring the hate. Bring the family, Trollfest '09 is for EVERYONE!!!

This is definitely a Beaver production.


Note: Security provided by INS.

Trollfest '07

Jackson Jambalaya is the home of Trollfest '07. Catch this great event which promises to leave NE Jackson & Fondren in flames. Sonjay Poontang and his band headline the night with a special steel cage, no time limit "loser must leave town" bout between Alan Lange and "Big Cat"Donna Ladd following afterwards. Kamikaze will perform his new song F*** Bush, he's still a _____. Did I mention there was no referee? Dr. Heddy Matthias and Lori Gregory will face off in the undercard dueling with dangling participles and other um, devices. Robbie Bell will perform Her two latest songs: My Best Friends are in the Media and Mama's, Don't Let Your Babies Grow up to be George Bell. Sid Salter of The Clarion-Ledger will host "Pin the Tail on the Trial Lawyer", sponsored by State Farm.

There will be a hugging booth where in exchange for your young son, Frank Melton will give you a loooong hug. Trollfest will have a dunking booth where Muhammed the terrorist will curse you to Allah as you try to hit a target that will drop him into a vat of pig grease. However, in the true spirit of Separate But Equal, Don Imus and someone from NE Jackson will also sit in the dunking booth for an equal amount of time. Tom Head will give a reading for two hours on why he can't figure out who the hell he is. Cliff Cargill will give lessons with his .80 caliber desert eagle, using Frank Melton photos as targets. Tackleberry will be on hand for an autograph session. KIM Waaaaaade will be passing out free titles and deeds to crackhouses formerly owned by The Wood Street Players.

If you get tired come relax at the Fox News Tent. To gain admittance to the VIP section, bring either your Republican Party ID card or a Rebel Flag. Bringing both will entitle you to free drinks.Get your tickets now. Since this is an event for trolls, no ID is required, just bring the hate. Bring the family, Trollfest '07 is for EVERYONE!!!

This is definitely a Beaver production.

Note: Security provided by INS
.