News

The Clarion-Ledger, 4/14/8 Thousands of inconvenienced air travelers may not like delayed or canceled flights while mechanics go over aircraft systems, but passenger safety should come first. The real question is how it came to be that potentially dangerous conditions have been allowed to develop on aircraft. Cancellations are likely to spread to other carriers…

The Clarion-Ledger Editorial, 4/13/8 While scrambling for additional revenue to fund Medicaid, improve public education, build highways, pay for prisons and provide a host of other necessary government functions, the Mississippi Legislature is leaving sales tax money on the table. Americans spend over $136 billion annually on online purchases. One of the reasons those sales…

The Clarion-Ledger, 4/13/8 Ninety-seven days ago today, the 2008 legislative session was gaveled to order. Many lawmakers vowed to make sure public education, Medicaid other needs were properly funded. Passing meaningful legislation was a priority. But with one week left before they go home, how much did lawmakers accomplish? What’s left undone? Here is a…

The Sun Herald, 4/13/8 Attorneys are discussing what changes are needed to restore confidence in Mississippi’s legal system after five of their own pleaded guilty in a judicial bribery case and a federal judge on the Coast cited several law firms for breaching legal ethics in Katrina insurance cases. “I can’t imagine anything worse than…

The Sun Herald Editorial, 4/13/8 T he Department of Energy spent much of last week trying to explain to people how taking 50 million gallons of water a day from the Pascagoula River, using it to dissolve salt from a salt dome, then pumping the brine out into water south of Horn Island is a…

First Congressional District Politics The only way Childers can pull off a victory is to reverse what happened four years ago on the east side. Can he convince a quarter of the voters on the east side to switch from 2004 and cast a Democratic ballot in the congressional race? Are there enough voters willing…

Shoot-out at the PA Corral I don’t really know which seems stranger to me: hearing Hillary Clinton act the champion of gun owners after her husband reigned over what was perhaps the most anti-Second Amendment administration of the twentieth century, or watching Barack Obama explain his fealty to the Second Amendment after claiming that working…

Abortion bill evolves into internal struggle for Miss. House McCoy, a populist Democrat from Rienzi, appoints House committee chairmen. He has voted for several abortion restrictions in the past. But if he sticks with his chairman on this bill, as expected, the Republicans want to pressure rural Democrats to break away from the speaker on…

What was Bill Skinner thinking? So my curiosity has only grown. Except for Oliver Diaz’s recent interview with Raw Story — which, judging by the reaction here, also seems not to have worked quite as intended — I can’t recall seeing a judge respond directly to a newspaper or blog before FOLO 4/14/8

LAKE FOREST, Ill. – Of all the players the Bears have picked since the NFL Draft was instituted in 1936, there are dozens of names you know and hundreds you’ve never heard of. For every Mike Ditka and Walter Payton, there are countless Frank Dittas and Earl Paytons. But there are also a handful of Bears draftees you know for other reasons. That group includes a pro wrestling legend (Verne Gagne), a four-time American League all-star first baseman (Norm Cash) and a long-time NFL head coach who led the Giants to Super Bowl XXXV (Jim Fassel). Here’s a closer look at some of those picks: Frank Broyles (1946, third round) A University of Arkansas legend, Frank Broyles has spent more than 50 years as a coach, broadcaster and athletic director for the Razorbacks. As a player, he quarterbacked Georgia Tech to four bowl appearances and was named Southeastern Conference Player of the Year in 1944. In 17 seasons as Arkansas head coach from 1958-76, Broyles compiled a 144-58-5 record and led the Razorbacks to seven Southwest Conference championships, two Cotton Bowl wins and a national championship in 1964. Broyles, who never played in the NFL, retired as Arkansas’ men’s athletic director effective December 31, 2007. Chicagobears.com 4/11/08