Early summer means preparing for hurricane season if you live along the Gulf Coast. Well actually, concerns are much broader now following Hurricane Sandy. All coasts have exposure. So what do we do? Just sit back and wait for an oncoming storm? Or is there some preparedness that can be undertaken in advance? Check out...Read More

  Weekend Radio Guest Schedule to be posted Thursday afternoon.  Read More

Just after Familiar Evil, by Louisiana author Rannah Gray, won the Gold Medal at the 20th Annual Independent Publishers Awards in Chicago, it was announced that the National Indie Excellence Awards has named Familiar Evil the BEST NEW NON-FICTION AND BEST TRUE CRIME BOOK FOR 2016. Familiar Evil was also featured in the New Title...Read More

I have always regretted not learning to fly. I had ample opportunity, but always seem to be too busy. I did learn how to land an airplane, because, when I was in public life, I was in private planes every week. So I learned enough to set the plane down, but little more. I love...Read More

It’s graduation time of year, with kids at many levels are attending graduation ceremonies. Do you remember who spoke at your graduation? Most readers do not. I decided, this week, to set out some advice to these new graduates who are hoping to lead a successful life. My thoughts are pretty simple. Take a look...Read More

Our “Common Sense” weekend radio program is fast approaching, and we have a lively show planned for our listeners across the nation. Colonel Tony Deane has written an intense first person account of the pivotal battle of the Iraq War, the Battle of Ramadi. His book tells quite a story and is available by Clicking...Read More

The battle over the “bathroom law” in North Carolina has reached fever pitch over the past few weeks.  The law aims to ban transgender folks from using the bathroom of the gender they identify with, but the state has gotten some major pushback from the Federal government and popular figures. Well, country music superstar Brad Paisley...Read More

My longtime friend and political colleague in Louisiana Bobby Freeman passed away this week. He was a young 82, but died after suffering from an inoperable aneurysm. Bobby served as Louisiana’s Lt. Governor wihen I was Secretary of State. We campaigned together back in the 1980s, and remained close friends to the end. Bobby and...Read More

Voters think their congressman is completely out of touch, and congress has a lower favorability rating than does polygamy. Members of congress rant and rave about the cesspool mentality in Washington, then jump right into the mix and make it a hot tub. What should congress do to regain some semblance of respect and voter...Read More

Weekend Radio Show Schedule to be posted Thursday afternoon.Read More

“Without question, to me, the issue is education,” says daughter Campbell Brown in the video above. “Two out of three eighth graders in this country cannot read or do math at grade level. We are not preparing our kids for what the future holds.” In the latest installment in a new weekly series from Slate,...Read More

Familiar Evil, by Louisiana author Rannah Gray and published by The Lisburn Press, has won top honors in the 2016 Independent Publisher Book Awards, or IPPY Awards, presented this year in Chicago. Familiar Evil was awarded the Gold Medal for first place in the True Crime category. The IPPY Awards are the world’s largest international...Read More

Are we supposed to be politically correct about everything we do? Some people think so. Well there are issues involving race, gays, transgenders, praying in public, and even who can or cannot bake a cake. Everything we do these days has a “politically correct” connotation attached to it. Have we gone to far in America,...Read More

Great news on the radio front. I am pleased to have a new station that will begin carrying the Jim Brown “Common Sense” program beginning this weekend. We will welcome listeners hearing our program on WBCR 1470am in Alcoa, TN. Alcoa is part of the greater Knoxville metropolitan area, so the station will give our...Read More

We have a jammed packed radio program scheduled for this weekend and we sure hope you can join us. Lawyer Jacquelyn Clark (www.cowlesthompson.com) will help us explain this whole transgender issue that has dominated the news. Do you like to sing but having voice problems? Voice coach Gary Catona will offer his expert advice. (www.garycatona.com)....Read More

You can see about every kind of outfit down in the New Orleans French Quarter. I often broadcast my weekend radio program overlooking Jackson Square. Following the death of Prince, purple was seen everywhere. I’m shown with some lovely Crescent City ladies on an afternoon stroll all in purple. I hope you can make a...Read More

Some crimes are so vicious that there would certainly seem to be hatred involved. But how do you tell? How do you get into someone’s head to figure out just what they are thinking? Do we need to have a “thought police?” Take a look at my new column now posted to see if you...Read More

We are ready to go for our weekend radio show. Time to make some common sense. We start off the program with Adm. Tom Church, to talk about his popular book, “Fixing Washington 2016.” See more by Clicking Here. Then Howard Eisenberg, who turned 90 this year, will discuss his career as an award-winning author,...Read More

There is really nothing like the sites and sounds you can hear in the French Quarter in the heart of New Orleans. Music is non-stop in Jackson Square. I can look out off my 3rd floor balcony and be entertained into the wee hours. I was out for a morning stroll last weekend, and came...Read More

Election Day less than six months away? Have you made your choice yet? Let’s be honest here. The race has come down to Clinton or Trump. That’s right. Unless you want to make a protest vote and cast a ballot for a third party candidate. So you are going to just have to hold your...Read More

Weekend radio is close at hand, and we’ve a full pack schedule plan for her listeners. Prof. David Reynolds will be one of our guests to discuss taking Andrew Jackson off the $20 bill. He has written over 15 books, including “Walking Giant: America in the Age of Jackson.“ We will also touch on the...Read More

A special video. Combining dance, art and theater, this visual dance act called “Another Kind Of Blue” brings something new and exciting to interpretive dance and video. Using a screen with projected imagery as their backdrop, Violet and Nino create the illusion of floating, flying and leaping from tall heights, when really they’re lying down....Read More

Can you just imagine how much former Louisiana Governor Huey Long would relish being alive today, and right in the mist of the presidential election? The Kingfish would no doubt show Donald Trump and Bernie sanders a few political tricks as to how to appeal to the masses, particularly those who are fed up with...Read More

Our weekend radio schedule is close at hand, and we have a lively program plan for our listeners. How about all these third-party candidates running for president? Why do they do it? Will have several potential candidates on the show. And how’s your health? American citizens seem to be getting less and less healthy. What’s...Read More

OK. OK. I know this is a political and radio show website, but hey. We have to have a little fun now and then. So what better way to loosen up a bit than to see a Ventriloquist with Live talking Dog ? Take a minute to watch below and get a laugh.Read More

I’ve ben a big fan of the Fred Eaglesmith traveling music show for years.  Fred is a Canadian, but comes  to my home town of Baton Rouge once or twice a year to play at the Re3d Dragon Listening Room.  I’m always in that number.  Take a listen to Fred and his band below.Read More

There is a big debate going on down in Louisiana, as well as other states in the country, about a requirement that all motorcycle enthusiasts must wear a helmet when they’re on a bike. Those who oppose wearing helmets carry the banner of “freedom of choice.” But just what does this mean? Freedom of choice...Read More

Radio guest schedule to be posted Friday morning.Read More

Sure if you’re bored, and have nothing better to do, you can take a look at my give-and-take with BayouBuzz publisher Steve Sabludowsky about the recent run in by Donald Trump’s campaign manager, Corey Lewandowski,  who was arrested for grabbing the arm of a news reporter at a  Trump rally.  Much ado  about nothing? I sure think...Read More

I love this confrontation between a young lady in a Starbucks, and Florida Gov. Rick Scott. Sure it’s funny, but the average voter just doesn’t have a way to express themselves to the political elite who run their lives anymore. It is s really amusing. And you know what? There’s nothing wrong with taking on...Read More

Are foster children being protected in Louisiana? That’s the focus of a new book (published by The Lisburn Press) called Familiar Evil. It charges that children supposedly under state care are allowed to b be put in unfit homes where child abuse takes place. And with little or no monitoring by the state of Louisiana?...Read More

Our weekend radio program is shaping up well as the week progresses. What would Donald Trump do for and to our national economy? Are his ideas sound? We will discuss.   And how can small businesses compete with the big box stores? There are lots of ways. And finally, why is the national political system so...Read More

Poor ole’ Donald Trump. He says he got snookered down in Louisiana. Although he won the popular vote in the recent Republican presidential primary, the state party gave the majority of delegates to Senator Ted Cruz. Foul play hollered Trump, and for good reason. But is that just the way elections are handled down in...Read More

The sparks will certainly fly on our weekend “Common Sense“ radio program this weekend. Jim will discuss scandals involving several of the Final Four teams, including Jim’s alma mater North Carolina. And how about Hillary Clinton’s $600 hair cut, that brought traffic to a halt in midtown Manhattan? Then there are Donald Trump’s incendiary comments...Read More

My deal friend and former Senator Sonny Mouton passed away this week. Sonny took me under wing when I was a new Louisiana state senator back in 1971, and we have been close since then. He was a giant in Louisiana politics, and worked hard as a public problem solver. New governors, once elected, immediately...Read More

Look at the photo showing some people walking to reach the final objective, to live in a European country. On the photo, there are 7 men and 1 woman. Notice that the woman is bare feet, accompanied by 3 children, and of the 3, she is carrying 2. None of the men are helping her. It is because...Read More

As Liza Minnelli sang in the hit show Cabaret, “money makes the world go round.” It certainly does in politics, particularly here in my home state of Louisiana. Campaign dollars are the key factor in candidates getting elected, and in the buying of influence by lobbyists.  Politicians spend way too much time raising money. The...Read More

Easter weekend radio shows are often re-runs, but not the “Common Sense” program. We have a full agenda planned for our listeners. Pastor John Stahl helps us begin the show with an Easter message about a different perspective of the tomb where Jesus Christ was buried. See his website and new book at Twitter @JustJESUSThem.  Then,...Read More

Having gotten my start as a lawyer and a state senator in one of the most rural parts of America in Northeast Louisiana, and experienced the marvelous experience of attending a number of primarily African American churches, I learned that just about all Negro spirituals are written on the black notes of the piano. Probably...Read More

Does anyone like a quitter? I don’t. If you are a die-hard LSU fan, you might not like my new column about the administration at LSU quitting, both in sports and in academics. Of course, all of us fail from time to time. But quitting? It’s a reflection of giving up on striving for doing...Read More

Radio Program Schedule will be posted Thursday Afternoon.Read More

This whole story of why the FBI is insisting on compelling Apple to create an entirely new system to break into any iPhone is complicated, and difficult for many to understand. Comedian John Oliver does a pretty good job of putting this import problem into an understandable perspective. You can read my perspective by Clicking...Read More

It’s Apple vs the FBI, and it seems like public opinion has switched in a manor fight of privacy vs security. The FBI says the whole controversy is a simple request to open one iPhone, but Apple says the request is to create a whole new operating system. Shouldn’t the world’s most powerful government be...Read More

Our “Common Sense” Radio program is just a few days away, and we have a lively show scheduled for the weekend. Attorney Rob Crane Will join us to discuss the $55 million judgment sportscaster Erin Andrews received against a stalker and a hotel. Was that reasonable? Also, our old friend Alan Topol will talk about...Read More

Maria Sharapova, one of the world’s all time great tennis players, admitted that she had erroneously taken an illegal drug for health reasons. She said she had been taking the drug mildronate for 10 years to address a number of health issues, But the drug was legal until just this year. I’ve been a follower...Read More

Well if you’re a regular viewer of this website, you know my base of operations is down in the deepest of the deep Southern states. Now my nationally syndicated radio program and my weekly column are generally not a reflection of the South. But we cannot drop our heritage, can we? And there are certainly...Read More

Everyone needs heroes to look up to, particularly when growing up. To many youngsters, sports figures serve as an inspiration. That was certainly true in my case. I had a number of heroes in a number of sports. But the athlete I have always most admired is LSU and NBA superstar Bob Pettit. A statute...Read More

On our radio program this weekend, Trump and Clinton continue to roll towards their party nominations. Former FBI agent Colleen Rowley will talk about FBI overreach. Bill Coleman will join us f rom Dallas to talk about freedom of speech and business owner’s rights. And old friend and financial analysis Jordon Goodman will help us...Read More

Remember all those political pundits who said if Trump gets elected president, they would move out of the country?  Look at the New York Daily News front page headlines following Super Tuesday election day.   Are you ready to start packing?Read More

If you’re still trying to wrap your head around the inexplicable rise of Donald Trump, then Matthew Broderick and Nathan Lane might have just given us the most plausible explanation yet. The actors appeared on “Jimmy Kimmel Live” on Sunday night in a sketch called “Trumped,” a 2016-themed spoof of their Broadway hit “The Producers.”...Read More

Way down yonder in Louisiana, the creative talent continues to thrive. Musicians, artists, writers, and athletes: The cream of the crop comes from the Bayou State. So why is the politics so out of whack, unpredictable, and so dysfunctional? The state is dead broke, and has been for years. The state’s credit rating was just...Read More

We are all set for a lively weekend radio program. We begin with Dr. Paul Coleman on who has a better mental health, Republicans or Democrats? See his new book, “Finding Peace when your Heart is in Pieces,” by Clicking Here. Then Jan Marshall joins us to tell how she uses humor to assist in...Read More

Way down in Louisiana, the deepest of the deep southern states, a new Louisiana Governor is fighting to keep his head above the water. There is unanimous agreement that previous Gov. Bobby Jindal created one heckuva mess. Now it’s up to John Bel Edwards to try his best in cleaning it all up. But it’s...Read More

Our weekend radio program will broadcast live from St. John in the Virgin Islands. Quite a contrast from the below zero weather we broadcast from in New York last week. We will talk about the death of Justice Scalia, mandatory terms for judges and the future of the Supreme Court with Prof. David Garrow from...Read More

Political correctness seems to be all the range as certain areas of the nation, both north and south, want to rewrite our national history. Flags coming down. Confederate statutes? Got to go. Even ole’ Christopher Columbus is under assault by some who want to do away with national Columbus Day. So what’s a reasonable approach?...Read More

Sundays Radio Weekend is shaping up well, with the review of big events that took place this past week. The Super Bowl, political primaries in Iowa and New Hampshire, Mardi Gras, Sunday Valentine Day, and much more. Author Bill Muckler will join us to discus the presidential debates and his new book, Clicking Here. And...Read More

Well, I hope you had a pleasant Mardi Gras. That is, if you live in the south, and some Midwestern cities that are adopting the annual Fat Tuesday tradition. I spent Mardi Gras day in the heart of the French Quarter in downtown New Orleans with a  number family and friends. If you have never...Read More

Ah, what could’ve been in the deepest of the deep southern states certainly that could have had the first presidential primary in America. And can you imagine? All the candidates and busloads of the press crisscrossing the state spending not just millions, but hundreds of millions of dollars. A huge economic bonanza for the Bayou...Read More

It’s Mardi Gras weekend and the “Common Sense” show will be broadcast live from the French Quarter in the heart of New Orleans. It’s simply the greatest free show on earth and we will have some lively and colorful commentary. Several guests will join us. Dr. James Forsythe will lead a discussion o the value...Read More

I wanted to take some time this week on my syndicated radio show to remember back. To many of us, this was the week that, according to the lyrics in Don McLean’s famous song, “¦ the infamous “day the music died”. Fifty-seven years ago on February 3rd, the great Buddy Holly died in a terrible...Read More

We are approaching he weekend before Fat Tuesday and this is the prime time to visit New Orleans for Mardi Gras. This is the weekend when Bacchus and Endymion, two of the biggest parades of the season, roll down the streets of New Orleans. The streets are packed all day Saturday and Sunday with parade...Read More

It would be an understatement to say that my home state of Louisiana is in a real financial mess. Because of irresponsible spending under the previous governor and legislature, the Bayou State has to fill a financial hole this year in the coming five months of $750 million, And next year of almost $2 billion....Read More

Radio Program weekend schedule is set and we hope you will join us for a lively show. We begin with a discussion about end of life options with ER Doctor Kevin Haselhorst.  Then former Navy Seal Chris Sajnog discusses how to protect your family in a time of some many crimes and so many guns...Read More

You just don’t see entertainers like James Cagney and Bob Hope any more.  Humor,  talent galore, dancing, singing…they could do it all.  Take a look at these multi-talented guys below.Read More

Sometimes in the course of history, a smaller regional event can have worldwide consequences. The Battle of New Orleans ended the War of 1812 two hundred years ago. But what might have happened if the ragtag bunch of Louisiana frontiersman, had not beaten the British? What would have happened if the United States continued to...Read More

We are soon to go on the radio and a lively program is planned for our listeners this weekend. Should African American actors boycott the Academy Awards? Social commentator Lisa Durden thinks so and will join us to discuss. By the way, I disagree. Then our friend John Batty, a psychiatric nurse, will talk about his...Read More

Daughter and former CNN anchor Campbell Brown, whose organization, the Partnership for Educational Justice, is interviewed by Mangu-Ward, that took place at the National Summit on Educational Excellence in Wasington, D.C., Brown also discussed her decision to leave journalism for the “glamorous world” of ed reform, her response to critics who object to her tactic...Read More

We are all set for a lively radio program set for weekend and we hope you will plan to join us. Along with reviewing the week’s news, we will discuss workplace issues. As an employer, just what time do you have to allow for religions observances during the workday? Labor and employment law expert Brian...Read More

My home state of Louisiana has a new governor, and things kicked off at the state capital this week. I’ve been to just about every inauguration going back to 1972. I was sworn in on the state capitol steps on five different occasions. As an “over the hill” former politician, it’s nice to go back...Read More

 Louisiana’s newly elected governor began his inaugural day on a high note with religious services at St. Joseph Cathedral in downtown Baton Rouge. But before he could even begin his inaugural address, things got dicey. The Louisiana House of Representatives rejected his hand picked candidate for Speaker. Is this an indication of how his term...Read More

Folks down in the Bayou State just finished a knockdown, drag out gubernatorial election. Most voters want to breathe a sigh of relief, and have a have a little break in the election cycle. But that’s not to be. It’s presidential election year including a long list of local and statewide elections to be considered....Read More

Weekend Radio Schedule to be posted Friday morning!Read More

With our syndicated radio program, I have the opportunity of traveling throughout the country a good bit. So it’s fun to pick up  local humor about different states. Here are a few of my favorites to lighten things up this week. Louisiana What differentiates a zoo in Louisiana from other zoos? The Louisiana zoo has...Read More

What does a football coach have to do with a teacher? Quite a lot in my opinion. We give the coach full responsibility, pay him well, and expect results. Why don’t we do the same thing with our teachers? That’s the focus of my new column this week. Our approach to elementary and secondary education...Read More

Because of a family conflict, our weekend radio program will be a rerun, highlighting some of the top guess from the year 2015. We will cover some new health, ideas, a little politics, and remember those who passed away during this previous year. Then, next week, would we will be back in action with our...Read More

We are bringing the year 2015 to an end, and for many of us, it’s probably a pretty good idea. Quite frankly, the world is pretty screwed up right now. We can only hope that 2016 will be a lot better at bringing peace to the Middle East. And what a presidential election were about...Read More

Well I certainly hope 2015 was a good year for you. I guess we can always do better. My family and I hope you are enjoying the holiday season. If you’re fortunate enough like me to have so many kids, grandkids, nieces, and nephews, grand nieces and nephews, and assorted others, it certainly keeps us...Read More

We are winding down to the New Year with the full agenda on or we can radio show. Ready to make some New Year’s predictions? Our longtime friend, the Great Kreskin joins us to offer you insight into what will happen in 2016. He’s written a great new book about the future called “In Real...Read More

It’s the holiday season and if you need something to help you get in the holiday spirit, this will hit you right in the feels. Everyone that has seen this has cried so get some tissues. The Boys & Girls Clubs of Metro Atlanta have a new video where underprivileged kids can either get a present...Read More

O.K.! We know Louisiana colleges and universities are crying for more money to operate. The current governor and legislature have cut academic budgets to the bone. Yes, spend more on higher education. But should taxpayers not want to be sure that they are getting their money’s worth? Has is all this money being spent? And...Read More

Radio weekend will cover the gamut of news. With national politics so much on the front burner, are you interested in getting involved? Consultant Jonathan Maher joins us to reviews four way people can get involved and affect positive gains. You can check him and his several books by Clicking Here. Then will talk with...Read More

Daughter Campbell is back on the journalistic warpath with an admonition to the press to quit giving Donald Teump so much coverage.  Here’s what she is saying: “To my former TV colleagues: Please stop. Just for one week, don’t say his name. As many have already said, no presidential candidate in history has gotten this...Read More

I’ll bet you did not know what a great cook my wife Gladys is. Here’s just how good she is. She is joined with her twin Wister Gloria on national television cooking a Turducken. A what you say? Well if you want to know what a Turducken is and how o cook it, jut check...Read More

Two of my favorite Austin, Texas singers are Sam Baker & Carrie Elkin. They have performed together for a number of years, and I had the chance to hear them recently at the Red Dragon Listening Room in Baton Rouge. The have a folksy, irreverent, humorous, and delightful way of conveying how much fun you...Read More

Louisiana’s supposed flagship university is struggling. Really struggling. And there is plenty of fault to go around, including the past leadership at LSU. And it’s been a sad fall from grace. Some old-timers can remember back when LSU was the premier university in the South. Governor Huey Long made the financial support of LSU his...Read More

At this time of year, with winter and snow close at hand, I like to post one of my favorite videos.  These Russian kids are not fighting or protesting.  They are enjoying a popular American song and dancing up a storm.  I wish we had more spontaneous events like this here at home.Read More

The mass of fleeing refugees is swamping Europe, building frustrations and backlash in many parts of the world including right here in the U.S.A.   Many people see their way of life changing right before their eyes, and not for the good of their respective countries. Look at the video below and see if you agree...Read More

What a week for LSU football fans. Coach Les Miles is out, no, he’s in. There was a revolving door of rumors. There is no doubt the Tigers need a coach to adapt and change. But should Miles have been fired? And how much is too much to pay any coach? Check out my analysis...Read More

Radio Weekend had a busy program schedule lined up, with much news to cover as the year winds down. Pulitzer prize winner Jon Meacham will join us to discuss his new book, Destiny and Power: The American Odyssey of George Herbert Walker Bush. Meacham paints an intimate and surprising portrait of an intensely private man...Read More

The most recent publication of The Lisburn Press has been released this week, and is raising serious questions about the reliability of child protection all over the America. Familiar Evil is a true story about a TV personality who operated as a child pedophile internationally. Author Rannah Gray stumbled onto the story by accident, and...Read More

No, that’s not her father trying to stir up some mischief.  That’s the title of a new article on the state of American education that is creating quite a stir.  It initially appeared in newsmagazine The Weekly Standard, but has been picked up by news outlets all over the nation.  You can read the whole...Read More

Are you a Jerry Jeff Walker fan? I’ve been a fan of the Texas country outlaw singer for some 35 years. And would you believe? I was once the president of the Louisiana chapter of the Jerry Jeff fan club. He put on one heck of a concert here in Baton Rouge this past Friday...Read More

We always are told about the winners, but you just cannot ignore the losers, can you? And in the recent Louisiana gubernatorial election, there were some big-time losers who really fell flat. I list a few of them in my new column. Obviously, Senator David Vitter leads the list. But take a look at some...Read More

This weekend’s post Thanksgiving “Common Sense” program is shaping up well with a number of topics to discuss. Amanda Gutterman, Editorial Director at Slant News, will discuss just what do millennials think about terrorism & the Paris attacks. Then “America’s Money Answers Man,” Jordan Goodman, a nationally recognized expert on personal finance, will discuss all...Read More

Daughter Campbell has been traveling the country talking about educational reform.Campbell Brown encouraged students to work hard, take risks and follow their passions at Linda E. McMahon’s lecture series, “Women Can Have It All,” recently at the Forum in the Frank and Marisa Martire Business & Communications Center at Sacred Heart University in Fairfield, Connecticut....Read More

Columnist and freedom fighter John Whitehead has been a guest on my syndicated radio program, and is one of the nations leading voices on government intrusion into our basic freedoms and right to privacy. Check out his engaging and cncerning vido below.Read More

Well, the fat lady finally sang to finish off the quixotic campaign of Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal as he undertook a futile effort to run for president. The guy really never had a chance. This is not the year of a governor on the presidential circuit. And Jindal had lost virtually all his political support...Read More

Weekend Radio is close at hand. We hope you will be able to join us for a lively program. First up are repercussions from the Paris Terrorist attacks. Amanda Gutterman, editorial director of Slant Magazine will join me to discuss just what millennials think about these attacks and how engaged they are. See more by...Read More

I really enjoy listening to somewhat eccentric outlaw Texas singers. Ramsey Midwood is one of the best. We had a nice visit during his recent gig at the Red Dragon Listening Room last weekend in Baton Rouge. I hope he comes back to play again soon. Check out his unique style in the video below.Read More

Well the Louisiana Republican Party is in open warfare against a candidate for governor who has endorsed a democrat. Republican Lt. Governors Jay Dardenne, after a bruising first primary, has now endorsed Re. John Bell Edwards, and the GOP top honchos say Dardenne has betrayed the cause? But don’t both parties do this? And how...Read More