New Vicksburg Speaks website

A new website has been developed that will allow for insertion of photos and which is capable of several innovations not available in WordPress. Take a look at http://vicksburgspeaks.blogspot.com/. Hopefully this site will not experience the problem with pornographic material that occured last year on another site. Your comments on the new site are welcome.

Topic Request – Fawm 2009 – Open Music Writing Community Challenge

FAWM stands for February Album Writing Month. Can you write 14 songs in 28 days? What are you waiting for… inspiration?
“You can’t wait for inspiration. You have to go after it with a club.”
— Jack London
Each February, FAWM.ORG forges a collaborative community where musicians of all walks and skill levels write an album’s worth of material in the shortest month of the year (roughly one tune every other day). So-called “fawmers” are a motley mix of music professionals, students, homemakers, and folks who work dayjobs but rock nightclubs. Join us for the sixth annual FAWM in 2009!
As far as I know, I’m the only Fawmer in the region, definitely the only one in the city. I invite any local musicians to join us in this very fun, very community oriented, song writing challenge. Your songs will have the opportunity to make onto a compilation cd of the best tracks from the challenge, which is sold world wide.

I’ll be more than happy to assist in song writing/recording/editing/etc. This challenge is extremely fun.

Just email me, george@slademania.com, if you have questions. Fawm starts Feb 1st, so register soon!

P.S. It’s all free to participate!

Bank safe deposit boxes: Not so “safe?”

This from a local source, quoting a blog:

You might want to reconsider what you keep in your Safety Deposit box at your bank. This note is from a news blog, which I am passing on to you fyi.
“A family member from Irvine, CA (who’s a branch manager at Bank of America) told us two weeks ago that her bank held a “workshop” where the last two days were dedicated to discussing their bank’s new security measures. During these last two days, the workshop included members from the Homeland Security Office who instructed them on how to field calls from customers and what they are to tell them in the event of a national disaster. She said they were told how only agents from Homeland Security (during such an event) would be in charge of opening safe deposit boxes and determining what items would be given to bank customers.At this point they were told that no weapons, cash, gold, or silver will be allowed to leave the bank – only various paperwork will be given to its owners. After discussing the matter with them at length, she and the other employees were then told not to discuss the subject with anyone.”
Read the entire article at:   http://bellaciao.org/en/article.php3?id_article=10012

America is trying to operate on a failed business model

The financial crisis currently facing the USA is just a pimple to what our children and grandchildren are facing.  The video linked below, IOUSA, is a prophetic message for the 21st century:

http://www.iousathemovie.com/

US POSTAL SERVICE: ONE OF THE NATION’S BIGGEST POLLUTERS?

If you used the now-closed downtown Vicksburg Post Office for your postal services, you have first-hand knowledge of the effect on your (or your business’s) finances, on your time, and on the additional pollution of the environment caused by the necessary use of a vehicle to travel to the Pemberton PO. This is not merely a Vicksburg/Warren County phenomenon, however. Similar closures are occurring nationwide as the USPS attempts to cope with reduced need for its services, and competition from other reliable and efficient delivery services. Locally, many  neighborhood drop boxes have been removed, so that most city and county residents and businesses who must use the services of the local PO now have no choice but to take the time to drive to the Pemberton location, fight the traffic on Pemberton Boulevard, wait in line until a clerk is free, then return to home or work.

Thousands if not millions of trips via vehicles to centralized post offices are required every day all across the country. The amounts of fuel burned, and the tons of carbon dioxide and sulphur and nitrogen compounds emitted from exhausts, are enormous. Indirectly, perhaps, the USPS is one of the nation’s largest polluters, and a significant contributor to waste and inefficiency.

Your comments and suggestions are welcome.

The Greatest Depression

Audio file. This expert thinks there is little time left to prepare. You may want to take action now…

http://www.howestreet.com/index.php?pl=/goldradio/index.php/mediaplayer/1065

Santa Claus Bailout Hearings

Just for entertainment…

http://blip.tv/file/1592405

1st ANNUAL CHILDRENS CHRISTMAS BENEFIT NIGHT

WEDNESDAY DECEMBER 17TH

6 PM UNTIL

 

GREAT DOOR PRIZES                                        SILENT AUCTION

LOTS OF RAFFLES                                               LIVE AUCTION

 

LIVE ENTERTAINMENT FEATURING

THE MIKE & MARTY BAND

THE RETURN OF “FATBACK”

John Howard Dennis, Mark Prewitt, Daniel Gilbert, Mike George, & Tommy Raines

TED HOLMAN BAND WITH LEE H. ABRAHAM & FRIENDS

 

 

LIVE AUCTION

BY MISSISSIPPI AUCTION SERVICE STAFF

HARDY KATZENMEYER, MIKE KATZENMEYER & JEFF UPTON

 

ALL PROCEEDS FOR THE CHILDREN

 

Admission – $5.00 “or a new toy”

 

Where Hwy 80 meets Hwy 27 at Vicksburg

 

DONATIONS OF MERCHANDISE FOR THE RAFFLES AND AUCTIONS ACCEPTED AT BEECHWOOD ANYTIME OR CALL CATHERINE AT 601 636 3761 FOR PICK UP OR

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION

 

LET’S BE THERE FOR THE CHILDREN!

 

 

Warren County Justice Court Judge Bradford reprimanded

The Vicksburg Post reported Wednesday that the Mississippi Commission on Judicial Performance has recommended that Warren County Justice Court Judge Richard Bradford III be fined, publicly reprimanded, and suspended for 30 days without pay. Bradford is accused of several different improprieties involving cases coming before him. The Supreme Court will make a final decision in the matter. The Post’s article may be read here:

http://www.vicksburgpost.com/articles/2008/12/10/news/doc494001dfad0a2774999677.txt

Constitutional Convention: a prescription for disaster

You are probably unaware that the U.S. is only 2 states away from rewriting the Constitution. Read the following article and take action as you see fit.

http://www.worldnetdaily.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=83364

Christmas at the city animal shelter

It will be another great Christmas for the dogs and cats at the city animal shelter this year as Debbie Lowery (Southern Paws) and Eldridge Springer (city animal control officer) renew their annual drive to comfort and save the many adoptable animals housed there. Please help with your donations of cat, kitten, dog and puppy food, dog  and puppy treats and  toys, cat treats and toys, chew bones, flea spray, and other necessities that can make life easier for these abandoned animals. Contact Debbie at Southern Paws (601 661 0502) or Eldridge (601 636 6982) if you would like to help. Drop off donations at the following locations:
Warrenton Farm and garden
Southern Paws
Willingham’s
Hometown medical
City Animal Shelter
Lorelei Book store
Adolph Rose Antiques

Thanks for your help in making Christmas a special time for our animal friends.

Armond Trevillion found guilty of murder

Trevillion was sentenced to life in prison, the second of four brothers to be sentenced to life for the killing of Justin Harris in 2007. The entire story may be read on the Post’s site at

http://www.vicksburgpost.com/articles/2008/12/04/news/doc49380a789bc94843411416.txt

New DA Ricky Smith has 10 convictions in 12 cases thus far. Your comments welcome.

Your taxes paying for non-city deadbeats

The Vicksburg Post reported Tuesday that county supervisors are paying delinquent customer garbage pickup bills with your tax dollars. You can read the article here:

http://www.vicksburgpost.com/articles/2008/12/02/news/doc49356c11a3892747744522.txt

What’s your reaction?

Will Vicksburg experience much lower utility costs this winter?

Natural gas futures are down to $5.7/mcf today, December 5. Entergy and the City of Vicksburg base their fuel adjustment primarily on what they pay for natural gas. Based on that price, Vicksburg residents should experience significant relief. You can look at historical prices here:

http://www.wtrg.com/daily/ngfhl.gif

Will we see relief? Your opinion is appreciated.

Coach Sylvester Croom gone from Mississippi State

After its humiliating football loss to Ole Miss (45 – 0) Friday, MSU has announced the resignation of coach Sylvester Croom, the first black head football coach in the Southeastern Conference. Most MSU fans were probably happy at Croom’s decision, though many will likewise sympathize with the man. What lies ahead for the Maroon and White, and for Coach Croom? Have you a recommendation for a new head coach? Will new MSU President Mark Keenum have a say in the search and decision? Your comments welcome.