Every year, the same anonymous businessman goes around the country handing out $100 to strangers. But this year, he decided to enlist the help of a homeless man in Phoenix.  Take a look and you will enjoy the various reactions.Read More

There has been a lot of talk concerning federal regulation of insurance.  And for good reason. A number of state insurance departments have not been auditing large insurance companies that do business in their states. AIG got into a lot of problems, because they weren’t being properly watched and monitored. And policyholders, for good reason, are...Read More

December 13th, 2018 Baton Rouge, Louisiana STATE REGULATION IN LOUISIANA ALLOWS HIGH INSURANCE RATES! A headline in several regional newspapers caught my eye. “Homeowners Insurance Rate Increases Have Slowed,” said one front page banner. I guess that’s supposed to be good news. But in my home state of Louisiana, rates have skyrocketed since 2005 “”...Read More

Time for weekend radio, and a lively show was planned. How do you protect yourself from holiday rip-offs? William Francavilla, who was the author of “The Madoff’s among us. Combat the Scammers, Con artists and Thieves who are plotting to steal your money,” Will give us some advice.  We will talk with Dr. Tripp Goolsby...Read More

85,000 country music fans crammed into Notre Dame football stadium last week for the performance of megastar Garth Brooks. It was quite a show. And the biggest response came when he sang about Louisiana and Baton Rouge. Garth Brooks has great connections to the Bayou State, and I writing my column this week about the...Read More

December 6th, 2018 New Orleans, Louisiana GARTH BROOKS AND ME IN LOUISIANA! Did you see the Garth Brooks televised concert at Notre Dame Stadium last week?  Over 85,000 country music fans packed the South Bend football field for one of largest concerts ever viewed.  And the crowd’s biggest response, hands down, was when Brooks roamed...Read More

We are ready to go with radio weekend, and a full schedule. Stay away from the flu. Dr. Judson Somerville Will join us to tell you how.  Then Margo Lenmark shares her fascinating experiences and insights in her newly published book “Light in the Mourning: Memoirs of an Undertaker’s Daughter.”   Final guest will be The Kosher...Read More

Good news from the Louisiana Supreme Court.  A vindictive former U.S. Attorney in the New Orleans  area has been disbarred and for good reason.  The Court unanimously took away his license to practice law.  Sal Perricone has disgraced the legal profession, has betrayed the Department of  Justice. and has proven to be a thug. His...Read More

Louisiana seems to continue to be in the bull’s-eye of criticism as to how we run our government down here in the deepest of the deep southern states. One columnist is even suggesting that the Bayou State give up its statehood, and become a US protectorate. We keep all our mineral income and natural resources,...Read More

Did you know that health care fraud cost taxpayers a hundred billion dollars a year? We will talk with physician’s assistant Sharon Bahrych as to why. Also, do you have a guardian angel? Karen Mussette, author of My Guardian Angels will discuss with those why so many people believe in guardian angels. And getting ready for...Read More

Thursday, November 29th, 2018 Baton Rouge, Louisiana SHOULD THE FEDS MAKE LOUISIANA A PROTECTORATE? HECK YES! Have you heard the cries that Louisiana is unable to take care of its problems, and should be treated differently than other states? Some even say, OK, then “” make it a protectorate of the federal government.  And you...Read More

We all know that many things are impossible. But isn’t it amazing how the man spirit can let someone overcome so many barriers. Take a look at the table tennis player with no hands. No Hands? That’s right. Just shows you what commitment and desire can overcome.Read More

As many readers of my website  know, I graduated from the University of North Carolina on an athletic scholarship, and have been good friends with former football Coach Mack Brown for a number of years.  Well some exciting news: Mack Brown, who will be inducted into the National Football Foundation’s College Hall of Fame in...Read More

So just how do you win an election in Louisiana, particularly when there’s very little interest? Actually, it often takes a lot of good luck and timing. And where your name is located on the ballot makes a huge difference. If you don’t believe this, check out my new column about the coming statewide race...Read More

November 23rd, 2018 Baton Rouge, Louisiana TIME TO UPDATE ELECTION PROCESS IN LOUISIANA? A ho-hum election day.  That’s what Louisiana voters experienced a few weeks back.  Now a runoff election is scheduled for December 8thwith just a few choices for voters on the ballot.  At the top of the ticket is the race to fill...Read More

Our Thanksgiving weekend radio is shaping up well, with a lively program scheduled.  Congressman and Republican House Whip Steve Scalise will join us to discuss his new book “Back in the Game.” (See photo below). What a compelling story of his recovery from being shot at a House of Representatives baseball practice, and his will...Read More

Check out the chilling Photo below of the raging California wildfires. The smoke clouds rise over 1000 feet in the air, and the flames move as fast at 60 miles an hour. No wonder there are 1000 people missing. Are we doing enough with the national response?  Should the military be involved with large numbers...Read More

Can the City of New Orleans pick and choose which federal laws it will acknowledge and enforce?  Apparently so, when it comes to illegal immigration. Federal law is very clear that local municipalities have to cooperate when it comes to arresting and deporting those who broke into this country illegally. But New Orleans likes to...Read More

Thursday, November 15th, 2018 New Orleans, Louisiana  SANCTUARY CITIES FLOUT IMMIGRATION LAWS! The President has made illegal immigrants who have moved in to what are called “Sanctuary Cities” a major issue in recent months, even signing an executive order cutting off funds to municipalities that ignore federal law. The Crescent City is in the forefront of...Read More

 We are all set for weekend radio with the full schedule. Wildfires, voting irregularities, so much to discuss. Dr. Rosemary Bates will join us to talk about the dangers of energy drinks. Did you know you can get permanent liver damage tooth decay, an increase blood pressure? Also, we will talk about rejuvenating your life...Read More

Rannah Gray wrote this first story in the Louisiana Mystery Series for young readers with great-nieces Madelyn and Katherine Tom.  In the spirit of Nancy Drew, visit your favorite spots in New Orleans and help our junior detectives solve the Case of the Missing Poodle!  Really a great Christmas gift.  You can order now at www.rannahgray.com.Read More

We just celebrated Veteran’s Day, that special day for remembering those men and  women who gave their lives in service to protect all of us. Here’s a great magician, Justin Flaum, who preforms a great card trick that emphasizes this special day.  Well worth taking a look.Read More

Thursday, November 8th, 2018 Baton Rouge, Louisiana MORE INTEREST NEEDED IN LOUISIANA ELECTIONS! This past Tuesday’s election stirred mediocre interest here in the Bayou State. This was the fifth election in Louisiana in 2018.  And get ready for six election dates in 2019.  There was a 45% turnout last week, even though voters witnessed a...Read More

This past Tuesday’s election stirred mediocre interest here in the Bayou State. This was the fifth election in Louisiana in 2018. And get ready for six election dates in 2019. There was a 45% turnout last week, even though there was a great deal of election hype from throughout the nation. Louisianans just were not...Read More

Wow!  What a full agenda for our radio show weekend. What happened in last week’s elections, can anything get done in the future, and who are the winners and losers? Also, Monday is Veterans Day and we will talk about the current importance with guest Jim Laughren. He also is a wine aficionado, all for...Read More

Here’s a moving video to listen to in celebrating Martin Luther King’s anniversary. At Carnegie Hall, gospel singer Wintley Phipps delivers perhaps the most powerful rendition of  Amazing Grace . He says, “A lot of people don’t realize that just about all NegroSpirituals are written on the black notes of the piano. Slaves were not permitted to use the white...Read More

FIVE THINGS YOU CAN DO TO SUPPORT THE JIM BROWN WEBSITE AND THE  “COMMON SENSE” RADIO PROGRAM. 1)    Follow @JimBrownla on Twitter and share (tweet or retweet, as it’s known in Twitter-speak) likes to recent articles and videos on the Jim Brown site. 2)    Become a friend of Jim Brown on Facebook. If you are...Read More

With a number of recent killings directed as specific groups, there is a renewed call in many circles for tougher “hate crime” laws.  Of course, these crimes are horrendous and may call for the death penalty.  But should certain crimes be selected based on what the criminal was thinking?  Do we go into intent?  Isn’t...Read More

Thursday, November 1st, 2018 Baton Rouge, Louisiana WHY DO WE HAVE HATE CRIMES? The horrific Pittsburgh synagogue shooting that left 11 people dead last week was, for good reason, called “the deadliest anti-Semitic attack in U.S. history.”Â  It was a ghastly crime of appalling proportions. Robert Bowers is charged with 11 counts of using a firearm to commit...Read More

Radio Guest Schedule to be posted Thursday afternoon.Read More

Thursday, October 25thth, 2018 Baton Rouge, Louisiana IS ANYONE INTERESTED IN VOTING IN LOUISIANA? Remember the 1970 song by Chicago; “Does anybody know what time it is, does anybody really care?” Well it’s close to Election Day in Louisiana, and it would seem by early voting projections and general lack of interest that Louisianans are...Read More

Election day is just around the corner, not just in Louisiana, but all over the country. But so far, there’s not a lot of interest down here in the Bayou State. What’s the problem? Why is it that only about 30% of those registered actually turn out the vote? I take a look at this problem...Read More

A really busy time of year for our weekend Common Sense radio show. How to deal with 5000 illegal immigrants heading for the border? Attorney and immigration specialist George Rodriguezfrom Dallas will join us to discuss. ( www.sralawonline.com.)  We will talk with Christian Bolton who says he was arrested and imprisoned because of his knowledge about...Read More

We normally don’t think about living and dying at the same time. But every now and then, we cross paths with events and people who experience complete opposites in events they faced. I talk about living and dying in this week’s column, remembering that 14 years ago this week, Louisiana’s most notorious serial killer Derrick...Read More

Thursday, October 18th, 2018 Baton Rouge, Louisiana LIVING AND DYING IN LOUISIANA! Fourteen years ago this week, Derrick Todd Lee received the death penalty in Louisiana. He was the state’s most notorious and prolific serial killer. I was there in the courtroom when the verdict was handed down. It was a cool Tuesday evening, and...Read More

I really like good magic tricks.  And here is one of the best I have seen. Take a look and see if you can figure it out. Tony and Jordan are identical twins. Their magic is real dazzling. Take a look.Read More

Just a few weeks until election day on November 6th. Here in Louisiana, the top of the ballot is the election for Secretary of State. This is a job I know well, having held it for eight years. So are the candidates talking about the important issues facing the next Secretary of State? So far,...Read More

Thursday, October 11th, 2018 Baton Rouge, Louisiana WHAT’S THE NEW SECRETARY OF STATE TO DO? Special statewide elections in Louisiana are only a few weeks away. At the top of the ballot on November 6thwill be an office second in line to the governorship. A number of the candidates are harping on the same theme....Read More

Weekend radio is shaping up well, with a number of interesting topics.  Dr. Jerry Newcombe will discuss his new book, “American Amnesia,” where he comments on world affairs from a Biblical worldview.  Then, Mike “Thomas Paine” Moore has a compelling book called ” How We Dismantled the FBI in our Pajamas.”  You get the idea. ...Read More

Here’s a pretty darn good rule to follow.  I don’t care how busy and complicated your life gets, sometimes you just have to take a break and slow dance.  Life’s way too short, don’t you agree?Read More

My longtime friend and former LSU basketball Coach Dale Brown is the most positive person I believe I know.  He’s always there with positive words of wisdom.  Below is a commentary he sent me recently that should be a must read for all of us.  Read on and I hope you enjoy. Today was the...Read More

Charter schools are in the forefront of the news both here in Louisiana as well as all over the country. The U.S. 5th Circuit hit a low blow to Charters in Louisiana last week. I write about the decision in this week’s column.  There are those who want the status quo and fight efforts for...Read More

October 4th, 2018 Baton Rouge, Louisiana MEDDLING WITH LOUISIANA CHARTER SCHOOLS! Here we go again with meddling federal judges. The 5thU.S Circuit Court of Appeals came down hard on Louisiana charter schools last week. Charter schools, that by definition are independent with major input from parents, now will have to bargain with teachers’ unions. The...Read More

Judges and lawyers from all over Louisiana gathered at the St. Louis Cathedral in New Orleans on Monday to celebrate the Red Mass, that kicks off the legal new year of court sessions. Archbishop Aymond led the service, and visited with me afterwards. He said he would pray for me, and I told him I...Read More

There were two chilling reports recently about both the federal government and private businesses that continue to watch, gather information and keep tabs on so many things we all do.  Oh, its for our protection or for our commercial interests for the to do so-right?  Baloney.  Invasion into our private lives increased dramatically as each...Read More

Political partisanship has never been more on display as we are watching now involving the confirmation of a proposed justice to the Supreme Court.  Is this the way this system is supposed to work? Can’t we do better than what’s on display right now in Washington? There’s an idea that it is gaining a great...Read More

Thursday, September 27th, 2018 Baton Rouge, Louisiana TERM LIMITS FOR SUPREME COURT JUSTICES? Whatever the final result over the confirmation battle of Judge Brett Kavanaugh, one thing is becoming more urgent.  The court itself has a crisis of legitimacy. And one way to restore its genuineness is to require term limits for all future judges....Read More

What a week with so much happening in the news. We certainly have a lot to talk about on our weekend radio show. Besides giving updates on the Kavanaugh hearings, we will talk with healthcare speaker Nancy Michaels about the importance of getting second opinions when you have medical problems. She has written several books...Read More

Three cheers for the huge efforts of these hearty souls in North Carolina working tirelessly to save a home. Below, Jason Johnson (left) and homeowner Archie Sanders work to build a temporary levee to hold back floodwaters in Conway.Read More

This is quite an emotional video that you should take a few minutes to view below. Children saved from the Nazis-The story of Sir Nicholas Winton.  This British Man Who Saved 669 Kids From Nazis Got A Heart-Warming Surprise When They Turned Up To Meet Him.Read More

It’s been ten years ago when the bottom fell out of the Wal Street financial market.  Bankers and insurance executives, who should have gone into bankruptcy and possibly faced criminal charges, all ran to the federal government for bailouts. The first and worst was insurance giant AIG.  The asked for billions then flaunted their excess...Read More

September 21st, 2018 Baton Rouge, Louisiana  RISK TAKERS STICK IT TO TAXPAYERS IN LOUISIANA! It’s been ten years since the financial crisis on Wall Street filtered down through the insurance industry.  Many national insurance companies were under siege, and even though Louisiana is a small state in population, policyholders were affected proportionally at a much...Read More

Our Common Sense Radio program is about to kick off was a full schedule of topics and guests.  Louisiana Congressman Garrett Graves will join us to talk about what kind of federal response is necessary to all of the natural disasters going on all over the country. Then we will have Dr. Pamela Page, who...Read More

Some sad news announced this week. VW will stop making iconic Beetle next summer. After selling it on and off in the U.S. for nearly seven decades, Volkswagen has decided to squash its iconic Beetle.  The company’s American unit announced … it would end global production of the third-generation bulbous bug in July. The last of the original bugs was...Read More

I always felt pretty darn good about being a country lawyer.  I had a one-man barrister’s office in the small town of Ferriday, Louisiana for a number of years.  I still practice some rural country law and stay in touch with highly competent country lawyers all over the south on a regular basis.  Right now,...Read More

A full schedule is on tap for the Common Sense show this weekend. We will get into all this controversy about Nike advertisements. Should Nike taking such strong stands on social issues? Attorney Lance LaRusso Will join us to discuss. Also, New York attorney Kevin Salter we’ll remember what happened on 911, as he stood...Read More

September 13th, 2018 Baton Rouge, Louisiana IN DEFENSE OF DUMB COUNTRY LAWYERS! I have a confession to make. And President Trump is not going to like it.  I’m a southern country lawyer. Darn proud of it.  In the President’s words, I may be a “dumb southern country lawyer.”Â  I just hope the President does not have...Read More

The young guns may not understand the meaning of this, but you will.  The Roy Rogers Museum in Branson, MO has closed its doors forever.  The contents of the museum were sold at a public auction.  Roy Rogers told his son, if the museum ever operates at a loss, close it, and sell the contents....Read More

I had several close friend, including the New New York Insurance Commissioner Neil Levin, who were killed on 9/11, all having breakfast in the Twin Towers. My oldest daughter was working that day in the White House  as correspondent for NBC news, as reports  came in of other planes zeroing in. Her reports were chilling....Read More

Thursday, September 6th, 2018 Baton Rouge, Louisiana  LOUISIANA AND THE TURMOIL IN THE CATHOLIC CHURCH! We all know that there is a crisis in the Catholic Church right now. Allegations of sexually abusive clergy are pouring in worldwide.  Unfortunately, the roots of this terrible tragedy engulfing the Catholic Church have strong ties to the Bayou...Read More

The current scandal in the Catholic Church involving pedophile priests seems to have hit all parts of our country. You might be interested to know that the first priest criminally charged in the US was from Lafayette Louisiana. It created quite a disgrace at the time, but then the shame seemed to have been swept...Read More