I have seen many Las Vegas shows over the years, and have been entertained by many of the great ones.  Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Wayne Newton, Bette Middler, Jay Leno, Queen, the list goes on.  But hands down, my favorite Law Vegas entertainer was Danny Gans.  If you haven’t been to Las Vegas, you...Read More

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  Hold on to your wallets.  The Louisiana Legislature is  in session at the state capitol in Baton Rouge.  And they have 60 days to potentially do a lot of damage.  It’s all about money, and I share my perspective this week in my new column now posted.  Where are the problem areas?  You can...Read More

  Thursday April 30, 2009 Baton Rouge, Louisiana KEEP YOUR HEAD DOWN THE LOUISIANA LEGISLATURE’S IN SESSION Every observer of Louisiana politics is aware of Mark Twain’s adage:  “No man’s life, liberty or property is safe while the Legislature is in session.”Â  Actually, it was New York Judge Gideon Tucker who first made the perceptive...Read More

The Zurich Classic golf Tourney was a big success this past weekend at the TPA course in New Orleans.  I started playing golf a few years ago, and am not all the great, but do enjoy walking the course by myself, and play8ing 3 or 4 balls at a time.  The Classic was the place...Read More

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Randy Newman is Louisiana’s special troubadour.  He’s funny, clever, sarcastic,  emotional, and generally right on the money.  He’s origionally from New Orleans, and talks about the Bayou State at all his concerts.  He’s written numerous movie musical scores (Seabiscuit, Pleasantville, an The Natural to name a few), and though getting older, aparently has no intention...Read More

  You’re a 19 year old kid. You’re critically wounded, and dying in the jungle in the Ia Drang Valley , 11-14-1965, LZ X-ray, Vietnam.  Your infantry unit is outnumbered 8 – 1, and the enemy fire is so intense, from 100 or 200 yards away, that your own Infantry Commander has ordered the MediVac...Read More

  Louisiana has a big financial problem, and many state agencies are facing major cutbacks.  But do we really need all the various state and local governmental bodies that have built up over the past century?  As Jim points out in his column, we are asking general Motors to downsize and restructure.  So what about...Read More

  Thursday, April 23rd, 2009 Shreveport, Louisiana BRING LOCAL AND STATE GOVERNMENT IN LOUISIANA INTO THE TWENTY FIRST CENTURY!  Just how many boards, commissions, water districts, sewer districts, parish auditors, law enforcement offices, and a whole list of other special districts are spread throughout Louisiana? No one really seems to know.  Some estimates are as high as...Read More

  I was in New York last week, and stayed across the street from the World Trade Center hole in the ground.  Construction on a new office complex is under way, but will take several years to complete.  I spent a few minutes there with long time friend and New York lawyer Kevin Salter (See...Read More

  There are a lot of people out there, and I’m one of them, who feel that or country has lost its focus and direction.  We seem to be fading away from our sense of values that set the foundation for our democratic way of life.  Many readers know that I have some problems with...Read More

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  I’m not one to watch “American Idol“ or its British counterpart, “Britons Got Talent.“Â  But every now and then, a performer appears that simply mesmerizes the audience and captures the hearts of all who are watching.  Last year, it was Brit Paul Potts, a car phone salesman who sang Opera like the best at...Read More

As regular readers know, I often brag about my alma mater at Chapel Hill. But there was a low point last we that I certainly am not proud of. Former Rep. Tom Tancredo recently visited University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill to speak to a group on the topic of immigration and his opposition...Read More

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  Were you into March Madness?  It started with 654 teams playing through March and into early April.  Millions were made by the NCAA, the colleges, the coaches, but not the players.  They get left out of the whole mix.  My new column is now up, so take a look at why I think our...Read More

So do you Twitter?  Everybody seems to be doing it.  Not cool if you don’t Twitter.  You can see my ramblings at http://Twitter.com/jimbrownla.  Here is a funny cartoon below that keeps the how world of Twitter in its proper perspective.  Take a look.Read More

  Thursday, April 9, 2009 Baton Rouge, Louisiana MARCH MADNESS ARE ATHLETES BEING SHORT CHANGED? Millions of rabid college basketball fans have been glued to their TVs over the past month as March Madness reached its crescendo this past Monday night.  My North Carolina Tar Heels rose to the occasion to win its second national...Read More

Well it was Paris, and last week I was Barcelona.  Petty good hangin’ out for this guy.  And if you have been following my various and sundry jaunts, I never miss a good meal.  In the middle of Barcelona at the Casa Fuster Hotel is Restaurant Galaxo with renowned Spanish Chef Andrea Cavalletti.  The Chef...Read More

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  It was a blow out.  Carolina completed demolished Michigan State to win the NCAA National Championship Monday night.  I know many of you are sick and tired of my continually hiping the Big Blue.  But hey!  The athletic department at Carolina gave me my college education.  I owe deep gratitude to legandary Coach Dean...Read More

  April in Paris.  Who can beat that?  This week’s column deals with how the French observe America, our new and old Presidents, and Louisiana.  All on April fool’s day.  Are they really going to stretch the French President to make him as tall as his new, young wife?  And what do the French think...Read More

Now those of you who read this column and blog regularly know that I’m a really BIG college basketball fan, and this is dreamtime for diehards like me.  March Madness comes to a fruition and ending in the next few days with the culmination of the Final Four, held in Detroit this year.  My old...Read More

Daughter Campbell moderates an interesting debate.  Should Marijuana be legal to help relieve pain?  Congressman Ron Paul says yes.   The use of the drug is legal in California and three other states.  If a doctor says using marijuana will releave cronic pain and perscribes the use of the drug, why should it not be legal,...Read More

Here’s a doozy of a story for you.  A mother of a 14 year old girl invites the  daughter’s friends over for a booze party with lots of vodka.  Several of the girls pass out.  See the video below.  The mother needs some time in the pen.  This is ana extreme case, granted, but too many...Read More

  Thursday, April 2nd, 2009 Paris, France FRANCE, APRIL FOOL’S AND LOUISIANA After a week in Paris, four things are quite apparent.  The French despise George Bush, really like Barack Obama, love Louisiana, and delight in playing April fool’s jokes.  Seriousness was put aside yesterday as the French continued the traditional they believe they started...Read More

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    Jim is taking a break for the next several weeks, and will be out of the country until early April.  This site needs some updating, so there will be no new posts up for the next two weeks.  If you signed up on the box at left, we will see you receive a...Read More

  Louisiana has produced a number of country music stars, and one of my favorites is Joe Stampley from Springhill, just north of Minden, La.  Joe has been around since the sixties and has a long list of country hits. I’ve known him for almost that long.  He was in Baton Rouge last weekend and...Read More

If you are a baseball fan like me, you have to have a favorite team or two.  I’ve always like the St. Cardinals and the Cincinnati Reds.  Pete Rose is the bad boy of baseball, but was also one of the games all time greats when he played in Cincinnati.  He lives in Los Angeles,...Read More

  Thursday, March 12th, 2009 Baton Rouge, Louisiana HEY BOBBY JINDAL IT’S INDIA NOT IOWA! Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal’s recent “speech to the nation” was panned by both Democrats and Republicans alike. It would not be fair to say that his national career has crashed and burned, but it certainly makes sense for him to...Read More

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It’s March, and that means baseball season is about to begin. I have been in Tampa Florida all this past week where 13 major-league baseball teams make their home for spring training before the season begins. That is the focus of my column this week. Take a look at how I compare baseball and politics....Read More

  Thursday, March 5, 2009 Tampa, Florida ARE BASEBALL AND POLITICS INTERTWINED? Just what is America’s favorite pastime? Is it baseball or politics? This past few weeks offers interesting contrasts. On the one hand, we went from a full-blown presidential campaign right into a major political controversy of how to “stimulate” the economy. Certainly in...Read More

Jerry Lee Lewis is from my hometown of Ferriday, and I’ve heard him sing andplay numerous times. He always steals the show. Now here’s something you don’t see every day. Ray Charles, Jerry Lee Lewis and Fats Domino – three of the greatest ivory ticklers of their day – playing pianos on the same stage...Read More

Daughter Campbell has her hands full with her demanding TV show, a new baby on the way soon, one more at home to care for, and a big mold problem.  The New York Post did a feature on her challanges last week.  You can read it by Clicking Here.Read More

Country singing star John Conlee has been performing and racking up some pretty good tunes for over 30 years. The first time I heard him was up in St. Helena Parish about 45 minutes from Baton Rouge. He was the main act at the bear Creek Steakhouse and Saloon. He is a little guy, but...Read More

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RADIO SHOW UPDATE Jim’s Sunday show is normally on WRNO in New Orleans from 11:00am until 1:00pm.  However, because of NASCAR programing, Jim will be on the air this Sunday from 12:00pm until 1:30pm.  The subject this week, what else, is La. Governor Bobby Jindal’s weak rebuttal to th President’s State of the Union speech. ...Read More

Thursday, February 26th, 2009 Baton Rouge, Louisiana JINDAL A TOUGH SELL ON A NATIONAL STAGE Bobby Jindal had an uphill fight to begin with this past Tuesday evening when he was the Republican pick to give a response to the President’s State of the Union speech. He was thrown into the lion’s den to give...Read More

  It was Friday the 13th.  Rush Limbaugh told his listeners: There was a promise from the Obama administration, the new era of responsibility and transparency, that all such legislation would be posted on the Internet for five days so that the public could read what is being voted on.  Ain’t going to happen.  In...Read More

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Below is my interview by LaNewslink.com on the dangers for Governor Bobby Jindal being so high profile on the national scene, and the challanges he faces here in Louisiana. [kml_flashembed movie="http://www.youtube.com/v/Tc1vcg7NjUA" width="425" height="350" wmode="transparent" /]Read More

Well La. Governor Bobby Jindal has had quite a week.  He was a guest Sunday on “Meet the Press’ and challenged the President’s stimulus plan, saying he would turn down some of the money.  He has received praise form conservative Republicans, and has also received a lot of criticism for what some call “political posturing.”Â Â ...Read More

I have always loved the old Christian hymn Amazing Grace.  It was a stable in many of the small churches I attended when I lived in North Louisiana.  One of the most moving versions I ever head was sung by former Governor John McKeithen at a funeral in his home town of Columbia.  He was...Read More

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  HAPPY MARDI GRAS!   Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal is walking a tight rope when it comes to balancing his conservative views towards government spending and the practicality of filling a budget deficit of some $2 billion. He gives the Republican response to the President’s State of the Union message this next Tuesday night, and […]Read More

Thursday, February 19th, 2009 Baton Rouge, Louisiana JINDAL PUTS LEGISLATORS IN SPOT OVER STIMULUS FUNDING in state after state across the country, cash-starved governors from both parties are anxiously awaiting federal dollars from the stimulus package that Congress passed just last Friday. One governor though who seems less than enthusiastic over receiving such a windfall...Read More

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would be good for the state for many of us to go back to school.  And I mean to teach or volunteer in some way to help our kids.  I have taught Louisiana history at both Tulane and LSU.  As Secretary of State, I was the keeper of all the state’s historical documents.  I have...Read More

You will see in my new column this week that I wrote about the President’s Stimulus Package, and the box the Gov. Bobby Jindal might be in if he decides not to take some or all of the money allocated to Louisiana.  One low point of the whole debate over how much to give out...Read More

Louisiana Senator David Vitter seems to be the strongest of the loyal opposition in Washington against the President’s Stimulus Package.  But what do Vitter and his Republican cohorts offer as an alternative?  And are they now opposing funding for projects they were embracing just last year?  Take a look at my new column now posted...Read More

I’m a real movie buff, and generally see four or five movies a month. And who isn’t a Clint Eastwood fan? Therefore, it was an easy choice to go see Clint’s new movie, Gran Torino, now playing. He wrote, directed and starred in this compelling story of racial tension in an inner city neighborhood involving...Read More

    Thursday, February 12th, 2009 New Orleans, Louisiana SEN. DAVID VITTER AND THE STIMULUS PACKAGE Louisiana’s US Sen. David Vitter seems to be leading the charge of Republican opposition to the proposed stimulus package.  Let’s get things straight. We are talking here about the federal government stimulus package, not the stimulus being offered by...Read More

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  Do you want to see the future of computers?  It’s really unbelieveable what new technology will be available in the near future.  A new type of computer  that looks like a coffee table.  It’s called “surface computing” and you can do some pretty amazing things on this all purpose high tech product.  It’s well...Read More

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Thursday, February 5th, 2009 Baton Rouge, Louisiana TIME FOR SUPREME COURT TO GET TO WORK Thirty Seven words.  A pretty simple job to read a short paragraph from the U. S. Constitution.  In Article 11, Section 1, the oath given to the President says: “I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will faithfully execute...Read More

  It’s hard to pierce the ivory towers that surround the US Supreme Court.  But that’s the present system and we as citizens are being shortchanged by the lack of work being done by the high court.  Judges cry for a pay raise, but spend long summers vacationing and moonlighting, instead of doing the public’s...Read More

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Hey, when you have been around a god while like me, you have over a forty year history with the music of the Eagles.  I was in that number at the New Orleans River Center last week when the eagles came to town.  I have seen them in person on a number of occasions, consider...Read More

It was quite a sports day at LSU this past Saturday as top Tiger basketball players back many years were honored at halftime of LU’s game against Arkansas.  The Tigers won big, and it was a thrill to be there to see so many past great players.  I’m pictured below before game time above, then...Read More

  My long time friend and mentor, former North Carolina Insurance Commissioner Jim Long, passed away this week.  Jim was a young 68, and had a massive stroke early last week.  I had talked to him just before Christmas, and we had planned a long visit in the North Carolina Mountains where his mother was...Read More

  Since the story was posted below, a new name is “busting out” (literally) to challange the Louisiana Republican. . Her name? Stormy. Porn star Stormy Daniels. There’s a whole “Draft Stormy” movement online, in bright LSU colors even, at http://www.draftstormy.com/. (She’s from Baton Rouge)  Below is her background video.  So who put her in the...Read More

Thursday, January 29th, 2009 Washington, DC    COULD INDEPENDENT VOTERS BRING DOWN SENATOR  DAVID VITTER?  An ongoing battle within the ranks of the Louisiana Republican Party may well determine whether Louisiana US Sen. David Vitter receives his party’s nomination for the coming 2010 senatorial election. The question for the party faithful is whether or not...Read More

Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich can probably count down the days until he loses the title “Guv.” His popularity is below 5%, he’s been impeached by the Illinois House of Representatives, and a number of Illinois Senators have made prejudicial remarks already concluding that the governor is on his way out the door. Here’s my problem....Read More

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Well the ranker between Republicans and Democrats has not seemed to have died down a bit. If you are a member of one party, than all the problems we face in this country who are the fault of the other party. You want to know my opinion? On a number of major issues before the...Read More

  There were high expectations in Louisiana that outgoing President George Bush would pardon former Governor Edwin Edwards.  But it did not come to pass.  Just why didn’t Bush do what he had told several people he would do?  Jim has a theory and you can read it all now by Clicking Here, or by...Read More

  Thursday, January 22nd, 2009 Baton Rouge, Louisiana WHY DIDN’T PRESIDENT GEORGE BUSH PARDON EDWIN EDWARDS?  For months, political insiders in both Louisiana and Washington had been predicting that former Louisiana Gov. Edwin Edwards would be pardoned by President George Bush in the final weeks of his term in office. There were a number of...Read More

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So how about George Bush’s legacy?  There will certainly be much commentary on how the President handled his job.  One of my favorite takes so far was given by the outrageous comedian Sarah Silverman who shared her thoughts about how the  new incoming and old outgoing Presidents are have done or will do  on the...Read More

Well Obama supporters flocked to Washington for a massive turnout of support, and demanding change.  I hope the photo below, showing the mass of  litter left on the ground, is not an indication of the change about to take place.   Click here to see commentary of the firstr few days at work foor the new...Read More

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