It’s hard to believe that it has been 50 years since I graduated from the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill.  50 years.  Hey, time really flies.  I had not been back for earlier reunions, but I was amazed at the number of old college classmates that I remembered and recognized.  It was three days of receptions, lectures, dinners and getting reacquainted again.  The highlight of my return to Tar Heel country was to participate in the graduation ceremonies on Sunday morning at Kenan stadium with some 50,000 students and family members all in attendance.  You can check me out at the ceremonies below.

I drove around Chapel Hill to reacquaint myself with old memories and see all the changes over these many years. Check out the house below at 306 Church Street.  This is the vary house I rented during my junior and senior years.  And guess what?  Except for a fresh coat of paint, the house hasn’t changed a bit in 50 years.

It was 50 years ago last Saturday that I won the Atlantic Coast Conference hurdles championship at UNC.  This hurdle below really looks intimidating.  I’d have a tough time getting over it today.  But fond memories of long ago.

After graduation, I drove up to the Appalachian Mountains for a few days.  My therapy three or four times a year.  And I always stop for a while at my mountain.  Do you have your own mountain?  I sure like mine.

IS IT SAFE TO WEAR MY HOODIE?

 

The hoodie has become a symbol of the successful (Mark Zuckerberg), the criminal (see any intercity cop show) and the tragic in the most recent case of Trayvon Martin.  This young man found out that depending on when and where it is worn, a hoodie can put you in harm’s way.  We are told it is wrong to profile.  But we do it every day, and are foolish if we do not.  Read my new column about the confrontations that can be caused by a hoodie, and my own personal experience.  Murders take place in this country every day.  Why so much focus n the Martin case?  You can read it now by Clicking Here or by gong to the Flashing Red Box above.

A busy but fun filled weekend for the “Common sense” radio program.  It’s “LIVE” from the campus of the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill.  This is certainly one of the nation’s prettiest campuses, and it will be quite a treat for me to return to my alma mater.  I graduated from Carolina 50 years ago this weekend, so it will be quite a homecoming.  We will broadcast from Kenan Football Stadium as the graduation ceremonies take place.  Mayor Michael Blumberg from New York will be the commencement speaker, and we are looking forward to talking with the popular Mayor.  President John F. Kennedy spoke at my graduation ceremonies back in 1962.

We will remember our mother’s on this special day also.  I sure miss my mom.  And we will review the week’s news and have some fun with several special guests.  So be sure and catch the Jim Brown “Common Sense” show this Sunday on stations nationwide.

Anyone that knows anything about Rock and Roll has heard of Jerry Lee Lewis from my old hometown of Ferriday, Louisiana. He’s one of the three famous cousins that include Mickey Gilley (see interview below) and Rev. Jimmy Swaggart.  But Ferriday has a whole slew of musicians.  One is this pretty lady with above and below, Jerry’s sister Linda Gayle Lewis.

And the Lady really can perform.  Take a listen to my interview with Linda Gayle, and then listen to her knock out a song or two on the piano.  She is a great entertainer by herself.  You can imagine playing a concert with the “Killer,” Jerry Lee.  A side note about Jerry Lee.   I was dancing with my high school gal in St. Lewis back in 1958 to the hot new national hit, “Whole Lotta Shakin’ Goin’ On.”Â  Fifteen years later, I was living in Ferriday and doing some legal work for the killer himself.   Small world!

 Tobacco Smoke Enema Kit

Tobacco Smoke Enemas (1750s ““ 1810s)

The tobacco enema was used to infuse tobacco smoke into a patient’s rectum for various medical purposes, primarily the resuscitation of drowning victims.A rectal tube inserted into the anus was connected to a fumigator and bellows that forced the smoke towards the rectum.The warmth of the smoke was thought to promote respiration, but doubts about the credibility of tobacco enemas led to the popular phrase “blow smoke up one’s a@@.”

This has been reintroduced in Washington D.C. by members of congress from both parties.  It’s about the best suggestion both Republicans and Democrats have come up with to deal with our anemic economy.

 

Those TSA guys (Transportation Security Agency), far from being more helpful at airport security lines, just seem to be ore belligerent and right down obstinate.  And the billions of dollars spent are, in many instances, for naught.  A waste of money that gives us little additional protection from the terrorists.  Israel, that is under constant terrorist threat, thinks much of the airport security efforts are a complete waste of time.  You don’t take off your shoes in Tel-Aviv.  They profile you, like any reasonable security guard should do.  Check out my column now posted on the frustrations of going through airport security.  You can read it now by Clicking Here, or by clicking on the Red Box above.

The weekend “Common Sense” Radio Show is close at hand, and we have another interesting line up for our listeners. Presidential politics is on our agenda, and we will take a look at who is seriously in the running for Mitt Romney’s vice presidential nominee.  Does he play to the voting blocks he needs, particularly Hispanics, or does he pick the best person to take over as President if the need arises?

And do you have a bad back?  We will talk to a back expert to give you tips on how to minimize the pain and get you straightened out.  Dr. Vaughn Dabbs will join us to talk about his ideas in his new book, “This is Why Your Back Hurts.”Â  You can read about it now by Clicking Here.

Also, we will talk with author J.D. Davis, about his new best seller, The “Unconquered.”Â  This book brings back many memories to me as it covers the lives of the three great Ferriday, Louisiana natives, Jerry Lee Lewis, Mickey Gilley (see next story) and Rev. Jimmy Swaggart.  You can get information on J.D.s book by Clicking Here, and see my interview with him below.
So be sure and tune in, this Sunday Morning.

Well it was quite a night in Natchez, Mississippi last weekend as country music star Mickey Gilley came to town and put on quite a concert.  If you are not a country music fan, Mickey Gilley is one of the all time greats, with 17 number one hits and some 40 records in the country top 10.  Mickey is a Ferriday, Louisiana native, as is yours truly, and has performed at several fund raising concerts for me when I was a statewide official in Louisiana.  We had a chance to visit a bit before the concert as you can see below.  Then take a listen to one of his all time hits, Don’t The Girls All Get Prettier At Closing Time?

 

American politicians, today, are saturating their rhetoric with religious references for the purpose of bolstering a particular political point of view.  Haven’t we prided ourselves as a country of insisting on a strong separation between church and state?  Render unto Caesar and all that stuff?  Almost every political conversation in this presidential election year seems to evoke religion in some way.  Is this the system our forefathers conceived of?  Weren’t they getting away from religious dictates from abroad when American was founded?  Where did we go astray?  Or did we?  Take a look at my new column now posted and see what you think.  You can read it now by Clicking Here, or by going to the Red Flashing Box above.

New York City was the venue last week for me, as I was invited to participate in an Ideas Festival with a gathering of news makers from around the country.  I guess I was included as the token “Redneck,’ but for whatever reason I was invited, it was a stimulating program and a lively debate about just who we are as a nation, and what directions the country should take in the years to come.  Being a presidential election year, sharing various perspectives of the nation’s future was a challenging and rewarding undertaking.  Below are a few of the participants that joined me in being a part of the program. They will all be guests on my radio program in the weeks to come.

David Gergen (with me above) served as key adviser to four presidents: Nixon, Ford, Reagan, and Clinton.  He now teaches at the Harvard Kennedy School for Public Leadership, and importantly, he has a real warm spot for New Orleans.

Pulitzer Prize-winning author John Meacham, who is also Executive Editor of Random House Publishing Group was part of the idea sharing gathering.  We swapped stories about his publishing company (one of the world’s largest) and my company, The Lisburn Press (one of the smallest).  Oh well, I do have high aspirations.

Grover Norquist has gained a great deal of clout in the nation’s capitol as President of Americans for Tax Reform.  His organization has asked all candidates for national office to sign a pledge not to raise taxes in the foreseeable future.  Grover creates a lot of controversy, and I look forward to a lively discussion on the radio with him in the next few weeks.

So what do you to do spice things up a bit, especially if you live in a small town? To advertise a new TV channel in Belgium, a company set up a large red button on a pedestal in a square of a sleepy Flemish town with the invitation to press it if you wanted some drama in your life.  I wish more exciting events like this happened where I live.  Take a look.

 LOUISIANA’S “GIVE THE CRIMINALS PLENTY OF NOTICE” LAW!

There’s a great new edict that’s about to become law in my home state of Louisiana.  It’s called   the GTCPTG statute.  Short for, “Give the Criminals plenty of time to get away.”Â  Louisiana legislators and the state’s insurance department are working overtime to assure that the Bayou State continues to hold the title of the country’s most expensive state in which to buy insurance.  And the legislature  in this deep southern state is on the verge of passing some of the most onerous laws ever conceived to stick it to the policyholders and tax payers.  Take a look at my new column by Clicking Here, or by Clicking on the Flashing Red Box above.

We hope you can join us on this week’s “Common Sense“ radio program, on Sunday morning from 9:00 am until 11:00 from 9:00 am until 11:00 am central time on stations coast to coast.  And a full agenda is on tap.  We will talk about taxes (did you remember to file by the 15?), Thomas Jefferson (it’s his birthday Sunday) and about he would be greatly disturbed over the lack of individual freedom throughout America today.  And it is also the 100^th anniversary of the sinking of the Titanic.  Scott Seeds is the author of a new book on new facts as to just how the Titanic sank.  The book is called “Titanic:  After the Last Lifeboat,” and you can read more about it and order he book by Clicking Here.

And how’s your aching back doing?  As you get older, everyone seems to have one.  Just what can you do about a sore back?  Dr. Vaughan Dabbs joins us to talk about his new book, “Why Your Back Hurts.” You just might learn something new, so be sure and catch this segment at the top of our second hour.  You can read about it by Clicking Here. 

 We will end our show talking about the Civil War that began on this date in 1862.   Brigadier General P.G.T. Beauregard from Louisiana, on March 1, 1861, becoming the Confederate Army’s first general officer, and ordered the shot that began the Civil War at Ft. Sumter. New reports now show that some 750,000 Americans killed each other in this war. Was it worth all the lives lost?  We will talk about it.  So be sure and tune in to the “Common Sense“ show.

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 I don’t know about you, but I’m a big “Flash mob” guy.  I’ve never actually seen one live, but I hope one day that a group of young folks will break out in song and dance in a large crowd.  Here is one of the best.  It happened in Russia.  Look how decent and clean cut our former enemies seem to be.  If you hear of a good flash mob about to take place, let me know.

It the political rage throughout the country to demand that English should be the official language.  And quite frankly, I agree.  That is, from the public perspective.  I occasionally get a bit irritated when I’m told to “press one for English, two for Spanish” etc.  If a U.S. governmental body insists on printing forms, giving tests, and processing governmental applications only in English, then that is how the process works.  It’s the law.  But what about the right to decide what’s best for its citizens?  If any state feels the need to offer services in another language, that should be its prerogative.  In some areas of my home state of Louisiana, French is the only language spoken by older Cajuns.  Take a look at my analysis and see if you agree.  You can read my new column now by Clicking Here, or by going to the Flashing Red Box above.

A pleasant Easter Sunday nationwide, and a great surrounding for the “Common Sense” radio program all set for this weekend.  I hope you will have the chance to tune in.  National politics freedom  to speak whatever language you want in America, the history of Easter, getting ready for tax season, and a look back and Americans in Germany during World War II.  You can’t pack in much more than that in our two hour show.

Since tax due date is just a few days away, we will be joined by Dominique Molina to give you some tips on tax savings.  Her new book is called “Secrets of a Tax Free Life,” and you can read all about it by Clicking Here.

Then we will revisit history and talk with historian Andrew Nagorski about his new insightful book, Hitlerland.  We know about Americans in France and England in the 1920s and in the 1930s, but what about Americans in Germany? What were their lives like? And what did they think as they witnessed the collapse of the Weimar Republic and the rise of Hitler? It’s never been thoroughly explored ““ that is, until now.  We will have Professor Nagorski on the second hour of our show, and you can learn more about the book by Clicking Here.  We will see you on the radio.

What a weekend at the Final Four in New Orleans as March Madness came to a peak.  Whether you are a basketball fan, or just like to take in all the excitement of a big Big Easy event, I was all there from Bourbon Street to the Superdome.  Some 80,000 fans jammed into the dome”¦the largest basketball venue that ever hosted such an event.  And thousands more jammed the hotels, restaurants and the streets just to be in that number.  Below is former LSU head coach Dale Brown, who was honored for his many achievements at a sold out breakfast before the game.  Dale is a regular on my national radio show.

I joined Tim Brando at his CBS national show right in the heart of New Orleans.  Tim has become the leading CBS sports commentator.  He used to broadcast here in Baton Rouge, and I had the honor of being Tim’s radio guest on a number of occasions.  That was before he became such a big shot.  But we still keep in touch.

Comic, actor  and national radio host Dennis Miller was also in town.  He has been on my radio show in the past.  We had a nice visit at the famous Emril’s Restaurant.  He clearly says that New Orleans is his favorite city.

And you can’t go to New Orleans without trying several great restaurants.  Jon Besh, who owns six locations in the city, is one of the more popular chefs.  My favorite is August, located right in the center of town.  I’ve been a regular at John’s various restaurants for a number of years.  He needs to come open one inBaton Rouge.

One of the reasons the trip was so enjoyable was that I was able to spend time over a number of good meals with my law school roommate, Bill Weinberg and his wife Lois.  They are die hard Kentucky fans, and relished in the success of the Kentucky Wildcats.  My Tar Heels didn’t fare so well, so I’ll have to take the ribbing from Bill-at least until next year.

If you check out this blog on regular occasions, you will know that I’m a diehard bluegrass music fan.  I’ve played a variety of sting instruments all my life.  I started with the guitar, went to the banjo, and more recently, the mandolin and even the fiddle.  But my favorite has always been the banjo.  I once had the Rolls Royce of banjos, an Ode, some years back that was stolen from me.  Can you believe I once played on Bourbon Street in New Orleans at a place called Your Father’s Mustache to pay for my law school tuition? I regularly attend bluegrass festivals in the North Carolina Mountains.  My mentor was Earl Scruggs, the founder of bluegrass music and the best banjo player I ever heard, bar none. You knew it was Earl playing from the first pick and roll.  His style was unique and I tried my best to copy him.  He died last week at 88.  He got me hooked on the 5 sting banjo.  With age and some arthritis, I can’t pick nearly as well as I used to. But in memory of ole’ Earl, I got several banjos of mine out last week to play a few of his songs in his memory. You can see them below.

THE DEBATE IS OVER A LOT MORE THAN HEALTHCARE!

For three days this week, the national news focus was on the U.S. Supreme Court’s hearing concerning  the constitutionallity of the Affordable Care Act, better known as Obamacare.  So for  folks like you and me, what do we know and what should we know about all the verbage surrounding this technical and complicated law?  The simple question this week before the Supreme Court is whether, under the Commerce clause, Congress has the power to require Americans to obtain health insuance.  But this gets complicated.  I try to make it simple for you in my new column now posted.  You can read it by Clicking Here, or by going to the Flashing Red Box above.  Take a look and see if you agree.

We are jam packed for the “Common Sense” program schedule for this weekend.  The Supreme Court hearings on Obamacare will receive our attention. (See this week’s column on this subject)  So will the Travon Martin killing in Florida.  Are “Stand your Ground” shootings always justified?  And how do you react when you see someone in a hoodie?  I’ll  share some personal experiences with you.

Dr. Cass Ingram, a physican by training, has written a new book called: “Rigged: Who is Tampering with the 2012 election process and why?”   Is there a danger that a fair election will not take place?  Just how much voter fraud is there throughout the country?   And Alan Uke will be a guest to talk abut his new book, “Buying American Back.”Â  Do you know just where your goods and services are coming from?  Do you even care about “buying American?”Â  Alan will tell us why it’s important to do so.  You can find out all about his book by Clicking Here.

All this and a lot more on the “Common Sense” program this weekend.  Check your local lsting, or listen live right here on this site.  We will see you on the radio.

 

 I have been a Pat Boone fan for some 60 years. (oops!  Showing my age.) Pat gained fame in the 1950s with covers of tunes like “Tutti Frutti,” “Long Tall Sally,” and “Ain’t That a Shame.” Now he’s helping the 60 Plus Association, an advocacy group that bills itself as “the conservative alternative” to the AARP, to recycle material.

Boone is the pitchman in an ad that targets the Patient Protection and Affordable Health Care Act, the health reform bill often called Obamacare. I talked with him recently, and he was a lot more interested in making the country more conservative than in talking about his early music.  Take a look below.

 I hope you were able to read my column last week concerning prosecutorial misconduct that seems to be so rampant throughout the country. By coincidence, 60 Minutes did an in depth investigation into several cases, including one here in my home state of Louisiana on this subject.  It’s well worth watching.  This is a continuing saga of prosecutors, both state and federal, who know there is evidence to prove the accused or the falsely convicted innocent of the crime.  But they purposely hide such evidence.  Prosecutors who falsely bring changes and allow such injustice should be in prison themselves.  Take a look at the 60 Minute story.

 

STOP THE PROSECUTORIAL  MISCONDUCT!

Week after week, there are new reports of prosecutors, on both the federal and state level, engaging in premeditated acts of prosecutorial misconduct. Coaching witnesses to lie. Hiding evidence from the defense counsel that would favor the accused. And even calculated cover-ups that put a falsely convicted person on death row. Has justice run amuck? Has Lady Justice lost her way?  Why do federal and state prosecutors continue, at an alarming and growing rate, to subvert fair trials and allow unjust convictions to stand?  Is the “gotcha mentality” so pervasive that the truth is no longer important?  If you want to know just how serious this problem is, take a look at my new column now posted.  You can read it by clicking on the Red Flashing Box above, or by Clicking Here.

The nation will be watching Louisiana this weekend as the Republican presidential primaries reach the half way mark.  Will Louisiana make any real difference?  The former governor down here, Buddy Roemer, was running as a Republican.  But he became disillusioned when he was shut out of the national debates.  So he is taking his campaign on a quest to receive the third party nomination of Americans Elect.  He will join us Sunday to discuss his new strategy.  You can read about his new approach by Clicking Here.

Religion and Politics.  Can they mix responsibility?  And are there negatives to the religious challenges we see all across America today?  We will explore this controversial subject on the “Common Sense” program this weekend.  Author and Notre Dame Professor David Campbell has written that a “new religious fault line” exists in America, a deep political polarization that has transcended denominationalism as the greatest chasm in religious life.  His book is called “American Grace: How Religion Divides and Unites Us,” and you can find out more of this fascinating subject by Clicking Here.  Professor Campbell joins us in the first hour of hour show this weekend.  You can also hear some of his thoughts on this subject in the video below.

And are you happy with current gas prices?  We will talk to an expert about what to expect in the future.  Professor Michael Klare will be available to discuss high gas prices and his book, The Race for What’s Left: The Global Scramble for the World’s Last Resources. You can read all about his book by Clicking Here.  So a lively program and we hope you will tune in.  See you on the radio.

If you don’t live in the New Orleans, area, you may not be aware of the vile and disgusting shenanigans of Assistant U.S. Attorney Sal Perricone. He is one of the top dogs in the U.S. Attorney’s office, and has been hounded for questionable practices and prosecutorial misconduct for a number of years. But now, Perricone has really crossed the line. He created a number of aliases, and has taken shots at a cross section of public figures in New Orleans, including his own boss and the President. The state’s largest newspaper, The Times Picayune, has called for a major probe of Perricone’s actions, even thought he resigned this week in disgrace.

The Picayune says that Perricone apparently used an alias to go after former New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin. He is the posting: “For all of you who have a penchant for firearms and how they work, Ray Nagin lives on Park Island.” Is he encouraging the killing of Nagin? He thinks so. See the story by Clicking Here and Clicking Here. To the chagrin of most citizens throughout New Orleans, a rogue prosecutor has crossed way over the line. Many agree that Perricone should lose his law license, and be criminally prosecuted. Even prisoners have internet access, so some jail time will give him lot lots of time to blog. Below is a video telling about his threat on the Mayor. Perricone? A thug and a real embarrassment to Louisiana.

 

Nick Vujicic, 26, was born without arms and legs, but nothing and nobody can stop this brave guy. Despite the absence of limbs, he is doing surfing and swimming, and playing golf and soccer. This is what it means to have the real strength of mind. He is a preacher, a motivational speaker and the director of Life Without Limbs, an organization for the physically disabled. He regularly gives speeches across the world on the subject of disability and hope. Take a look at Nick’s inspirational speech.  He speaks worldwide, and I sure hope I have the chance to meet him one day.  This video will bring joy to your heart, a smile on your face, and maybe a tear or two.

 

LOUISIANA — WHERE BEING NUMBER ONE IS BAD NEWS!

 My home state of Louisiana again has the distinction of having the most expensive auto insurance rates in the nation.  Forbes magazine just released national figures indicating that not only do Louisiana’s drivers pay more than drivers in any other state in the country, but the costs are higher by a wide margin. The figures that rank Louisiana number one show that the average cost to insure a car for a Louisiana driver is $2,536.  Thant’s twice the southern average.  Something’s rotten in Denmark.  Take a look at my new column now posted.  You can read it by Clicking Here, or by hitting the Flashing Red Box at the top of this page.

   After reading my column, take a minute to watch the video below.  We have a major drunk driving problem in Louisiana.  Hopefully, this video may be a wakeup call.

If, like me, you are a regular listener of the great national radio program, A Prairie Home Companion with Garrison Keeler, you will recognize the voice of Kacey Jones.  She is a regular in many of the skits with Keeler on the show.  Kacey is a popular song writer, humorist and a really good folk, country singer.  I had the chance to hear Kacey at the Red Dragon in Baton Rouge a few weeks ago.  She is a real delight and I hope to hear her again.  Take a listen and see what you think.

We have lived and relived the events and tragedy of 9/11 over and over during this past 10 years.  And new stories of special people who rose to the occasion still become public.  Here is a video I never saw about the courage of many boat owners who immediately began rescue efforts for the thousands trapped in lower Manhattan.  Take a look.

 

IS IT BASEBALL OR POLITICS?

 Just what is America’s favorite pastime?  Is it baseball or politics? The past few years have offered interesting comparisons. On one hand, the country is enmeshed in a full-blown presidential campaign with deep divisions over how to stimulate the economy and how to define America’s role in the world. Because of urgent concerns with these issues and others, politics has become a major spectator sport all over the country. But don’t sell baseball short. Not only has baseball been around longer than any of America’s professional team sports, the game’s highs and lows have been injected in national politics, almost from the sport’s inception.  Take a look at mynew column as politics gets into high gear and baseball season is just beginning.  You can read it now by Clicking Here, or by hitting the Flashing Red Box above.

The Springtime means a busy radio time for us here at the “Common Sense” show.  There is so much going on as you can tell from looking over this website this week.  I will, of course, have a full report from baseball spring training in Tampa, Florida, as I do every year at this time.  Then we turn to March Madness, as the 68 teams to make the college basketball tourney will be picked on Sunday.  Lisa Belkov-Snyder is a national sports commentator, and she will give us an overview of this year’s competition.  Do you have a favorite team?  My North Carolina Tar Heels were the pre season favorite, but they will have their hands full to make it to the Final Four this year.  Lisa will join the show at 9:30 central time.

  The Bible, Nostradamus, the Mayans: These are just a few of several sources that seem to predict an apocalypse””or in other words, the end of the world””in the year 2012. Some believe that war or an asteroid will destroy everything, while others take a gentler view and predict an age of enlightenment. What, if anything, is really going to happen?  We will interview Bible scholar and author Damon Author on what to expect at the end of this year.  He is the author of “Codename:The Revelation, and you can find out more of this book by Clicking here.

And how about this big football scandel breaking in the NFL?  The New Orleans Saints now have admitted to putting a bounty on knocking an opposing player out of a game.  You do this by purposely taking “cheap shots” and trying your best to injure an opponent.  I personally think the league officials shoud come down hard on those teams that encouraged such a barbarian practice.  Sports Expert John Greenburg will join me to discuss the reprecussions of “Bountygate.”Â  His latest bok is called:”The Grand Old Man: Alonzo Stagg,” and you can find out more of John and the book by Clicking Here.  So be sure to tune in this weekend.

This time of year, every year, you ought to know where I’m hanging out.  It’s Spring training for all of us die hard baseball fans, and Tampa, Florida is the place to be. Within a few miles of Tampa, you can “hang out” with the Yankees, the Pittsburg Pirates, the Cincinnati Reds, the Baltimore Orioles, and a slew of other major league teams. It’s laid back with small ball parks and easy going fans who make it a ritual to “come on down” to the Tampa area each year.  Below are a few photos of the way I spend my days, and my video to tell you all about why you too should make it down for the beginning of baseball season.

Rick Santorum has been the surprise of the current presidential season. What were the odds 6 months ago that he would be in a neck and neck race for the Republican nomination? I was in New Orleans for the Southern Republican Convention back in August, and had a long visit with Santorum. He was quite friendly and seemed genuine in his convictions. I started to interview him with my camera, but thought, what the heck. This guy won’t even be in the race come the first of the year. Boy, was I wrong. I still think Romney gets the nomination, but if there is an award for perseverance and going way beyond expectations, Rick Santorum is the easy winner.

The president seems to be scurrying recently to “firm up” his support on Israel with the American Jewish community.  He met must this week with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as the U.S. and Israel seek to deter Tehran.  But there are some solid concerns from pro Israel supporters that the President has not gone nearly far enough in the past few years.  Check out the Opinion Page column on this major issue in this week’s Wall Street Journal.  It’s written by Dan Senor, whose book “Start Up Nation“ is available from The Lisburn Press and listed on the right side of this page.  As an aside, Dan is a family member.  You can read the Journal article by Clicking Here.

 

A real legislative atrocity, created by Congress, now gives to this president, and any future president, the power to give an order to the military to detain and arrest American citizens, and indefinitely hold them without charges. That’s right.  No charges, no trial, and hold them indefinitely. What happened to the Fourth, Fifth and Sixth Amendments that were supposed serve as checks and balances, giving guaranteed protections to every American?  Now, because of this irresponsible new law overwhelming passed by our members of Congress, a real fire storm has justifiably erupted.  Some members of Congress are trying to cover their tracks.  Read all about this constitutional abuse in my NEW Column now posted.  You can read it by Clicking Here, or by going to the Flashing Red Box above.

The Common Sense program has a full packed schedule for this weekend.  We will update the presidential race, with Mitt Romney moving a step closer to the nomination.  And how about Louisiana’s own Buddy Roemer, who says he will run as a Third Party candidate?  Maybe he won’t garner that many votes, but in a close presidential election, who will he hurt most?  I’ll let you know that I think!

We will talk with author Laura Caldwell, one of the nation’s most popular crime writers.  Her new book, “Question of trust” is moving towards the best seller lists, and she writes a good bit about those wrongfully convicted.  You can read all about her new book by Clicking Here.

And why don’t newly created nations look to the U.S. Constitution as a model?  Few countries revising their constitutions following what is written in America’s founding document.  Why?  Tulane Law Professor Vernon Palmer, who has written several constitutions for other countries, will be my guest to answer this question. He has written extensively about systems of “mixed jurisdictions”–legal systems with both a common and civil law content.  Read more about Prof. Palmer’s writing by Clicking Here.  So be sure and tune in this weekend.

Fred Eaglesmith has rapidly become one of North America’s most heralded and adventurous rock songwriters. There is no other musical artist quite like singer-songwriter Fred. Since his first album in 1980, he has forged his own distinctive and highly independent career path to acclaim and accomplishments, and built a timeless catalog of songs and recordings. He’s also a really funny guy. And a great song writer. I spent some time with him recently at the Red dragon Listening Room in baton Rouge. You can listen to his new lead album song below.

It was a heck of a Mardi Gras this year.  If you have never been “way down yonder in New Orleans,” you need to add it to your “must visit” destinations, especially for Mardi Gras.  Parades wind through the streets day after day.  The food choices are fantastic.  But it all has to come to an end as the Lenten Season commences.  Don’t worry about the city slowing down thought.  St. Patrick’s celebrations (New Orleans is a big Catholic city), Italian festivals in March and Jazz Fest, the biggest music gathering in the world, all on the agenda in the coming two months.  Twenty Five million pounds of beads were picked up after the various parades and celebrations.  Check out the lean up operations below.  Then at midnight on Fat Tuesday, the police clear Bourbon Street and announce that Mardi Gras is officially over.  I broadcast last week’s show right from the center of the French Quarter.  see you there next year.

 

A MAJOR SHAKE UP NEEDED IN CONGRESS!

We all know the approval of Congress is at an all time low.  Just how bad is it?   .  More Americans approve of polygamy than they do of Congress in Washington.  .  The most recent Harris and CBS polls show approval rates dropping to an all time low of 9%.  Like the guy sings in the Limbo Rock song, “How low can you go?”Â  Our congressmen get elected, rush off to the arms of lobbyists in Washington, and rarely come back home.  There’s  got to be a better way.  And there is.  Take a look at my new column just posted about how members of Congress can shake the doldrums of the nation’s capitol,  and get back in touch with the people whio elected them,  You can read it now by going to the Red Flashing Box above, or by Clicking Here.

Mardi Gras is over so it’s time for all of us to get healthy again.  The “Common sense” show kicks off this Sunday with Dr, Debra Braverman, who has a startling new procedure that helps overcome heart disease noninvasively.  That’s right.  No cutting or internal operations.  It could well be the wave of the future.  Information about her new procedure and book can be found by Clicking Here.

Congressman Steve Pearce from New Mexico will also be a guest to discuss the idea of a virtual congress.   He follows up our discussion last week with Jenny Beth Martin, the founder of the Tea Party. Keep our members of congress at home more instead of running back and forth to Washington.  His idea is the subject of my new column this week.  We will also have an update on the presidential race, more Jeremy Linmania and other breaking news.  So be sure and catch the “Common sense” program this Sunday on stations coast to coast.

Texas songwriter, author and twice a candidate for Governor Kinky Friedman came to Baton Rouge last week.  He’s writing a new book with Willy Nelson, and has plenty of stories to tell.  I caught up with Kinky several hours before his show, and he keep me laughing.  We both swapped stories of our quixotic gubernatorial runs.  He puts on quite a show with songs he has written, a lot of humor and readings from his books.  Here’s a bit of Kinky below.

Well it’s’ nice to find a little clean but funny humor from time to time.  Remember George Younce?  He was Lisa Doolittle’s father in My Fair Lady.  Here is one of his final appearances. He sings a unique rendition of Side By Side, originally written in 1927, lyrics by Gus Kahn and music by Harry M. Woods.  So if you are a bit older and looking for love, you will learn a thing or two.  Take a look below.

 

THE SLIPPERY SLOPE OF RELIGIOUS FREEDOM!

Have you been following all the controversy surrounding the debate over the President’s new birth control rule?  Some religious leaders, especially U.S. Catholic Bishops, as well as a litany of republican politicians, have harshly criticized the White House proposal that all health insurance plans have to offer birth control options.  But is it the birth control requirement that has engendered so much animosity, or has it become more an issue of government interference of church related policy? Pelvic politics or religious freedom?  Take a look at my new column and see if you agree.  You can read it now by Clicking Here, or by clicking on the Flashing Red Box above.  Below is a pretty balanced news report on this controversy.

 

Well, it’s a big Mardi Gras weekend “way down yonder” in New Orleans, and it goes without saying that the “Common Sense“ program will be broadcast live from the City that Care Forgot.  I’ll give a full report on al the colorful activities taking place, and try to educate those of you who don’t celebrate Mardi Gras on what the big fuss is all about.  You can check out some video below to give you some idea of what this time of year is all about, and why we here in the Deep South get so carried away.

And we will check on some health and medical news as we often do.  More and more people seem to be getting reflux, both young and old.  Do you know someone that has this problem?  Dr. Jamie Koufman, who is one of the world’s authorities on reflux, will join me to give us some cures and to talk about her new book, Dropping Acid: The Reflux Diet and Cure. You can find out more about the book by Clicking Here.

And politics is always on the agenda, so we will talk with Jenny Beth Martin, author of TEA PARTY PATRIOTS: The Second American Revolution.  How effective is the Tea Party and can they make any difference in the coming presidential race?  You can find out more on the Tea Party and the book by Clicking Here.  So a full show all from the Crescent City, so be sure and tune in this Sunday.

 

Hey, it’s Mardi Gras time down here in Louisiana, and the good times and revelry will flow all this weekend and right through “Fat Tuesday,” the final day of celebration before the Lenten season begins.  Mardi Gras is hard to describe.  The season is much more than just a lot of parades, although the parade season can go on for weeks.  The brown Family will be in New Orleans this weekend, as family members ride in an all female parade on Saturday.  If you have never been to Mardi Gras, here are several videos below to give you a taste, and you can read all abour it by Clicking Here.  You haven’t lived until you have experienced Mardi Gras.

I don’t know about you, but I’m a Facebook guy. I try to post something on my site five times a week, and keep in touch with my legions of friends. Hey, it’s fun and enjoyable to many to be able to stay in touch. But Facebook has gone public now. So is it a good deal to buy the Facebook stock? Well now, that’s another matter. I have my doubts. Just how can servicing the sharing of information about people be worth a hundred billion dollars? Check out my new column now posted and see if you agree. You can read it now by going to the Flashing Red Box above, or by Clicking here. And check out the joint appearance of Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg and his nemesis in the Facebook movie The Social Network below.

The Common Sense on Sunday will continue to update our listeners with information that is informative, compelling, and bizarre.  How much more bizarre could this year’s Republican presidential nomination become.  I’ll give you an update and my perspective.   And remember, the Mayan calendar, written some 2000 years ago, says the world will come to an end on December 21st.  Are you ready?  If so, what would you do in the final months of all our lives?  Interesting, huh?  We will talk about it.

Investigative journalist and historian Gareth Porter is an investigative journalist and historian specializing in U.S. national security policy. He just wrote the piece: “A Dangerous Game on Iran.”  How big a problem is Iran for the U.S.?  Porter brings lessons from his book, “Perils of Dominance: Imbalance of Power and the Road to War in Vietnam.”Â  You can read about this book by Clicking Here.

And Dr. Cynthia Koelker will also be our guest.  If the world goes deeper in crisis, and you have to fend for yourself and your family, could you coop?  Dr. Koelker has written a fascinating book, “Armageddon Medicine,” which you can read all about by Clicking Here.  So turn in for an informative show.

(Former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush and I visited last week in Baton Rouge.)

Endorsements are coming right and left from major party officials in the Republican primary presidential race. The Wall Street Journal ran an opinion page column last week that concluded endorsements don’t make all that much difference in the final outcome. Nevertheless, the three current major Republican candidates continue to seek out anyone they can get to join their campaigns. But some Republican heavyweights, with possible future political ambitions for higher office, are reluctant to endorse. Take a look at my new column that looks at a few of these reticent Republicans, including former Florida Governor Jeb Bush and Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal. I had the chance to visit with Gov. Bush just this week. You can read my new column now by Clicking Here are by going to the Flashing Red Box above.

 

 Well if James Brown was the hardest working man in show business, Jim Brown has just gotta be the hardest working man on the radio. Jim is now on weekends as well as every weeknight. Just check out his schedule below .

 Friday, February 3rd. Jim will host one of the nation’ most listened to programs, the Jason Lewis Show, that is produced through the Genesis Communications Network. Jason is as regular fill in for Rush Limbaugh, and Jim will be filling in for Jason. So Jim is the fill in for the Rush Limbaugh fill in. (Hey, the guy is working his way to the top, right?) Jim will be on for three hours this Friday night, from 5:00 PM until 8:00 PM central time. He has lined up an impressive array of guests to bring listeners current on presidential politics, the Super Bowl, some health tips, and a whole list of current national concerns. You can listen live to the show by Clicking Here.

       (Former Sec. of Education Bill Bennett will join Jim in a few weeks.)

Then next Monday night, Jim kicks off a new nighttime show called “Jim Brown in the Evening.” And it will air every weeknight, Monday through Friday, from 7:00 PM until 9:00 PM over Jim’s flagship station Clear Channel’s 1150-WJBO. Jim will review the day’s news and give his special “slant and take” on just what is happening around the country. You will be able to listen to a number of nationally know personalities and celebrities who have agreed to be a part of Jim’s new program. You can listen live over the worldwide web at www.WJBO.com.

(America’s Mayor, Rudy Giuliani will be on Jim’s new show this month.)

And then, of course, there is Jim’s regular gig, the Jim Brown “Common Sense” show that will continue to be broadcast each Sunday morning from 9:00 AM until 11:00 AM. This show is nationally syndicated and is heard on numerous radio stations coast to coast. This national show can also be heard live and over the worldwide web by Clicking Here. So ya think that’s enough of Jim Brown on the radio? We hope you will listen in.

Well, all these public issues we talk about each week can be a bit depressing. So it’s time to lighten it up a bit. Here is a little humor for you to get you through your day.

Well, you music affectionautos know that I love Texas grassroots music, and we have plenty of musicians coming over to Baton Rouge on regular occasions.  One of my favorite groups is the Fabulous Ginn Sisters from just south of Austin.  These ladies offer great singing, stunning sister harmonies, smart and melodic writing “” an all around savvy performance.

The sisters have a special way a sultry, sometimes-harmonizing take on Texas-toned Americana.  They played recently at the Red Dragon listening room in downtown Baton Rouge, and put on quite a show.  Yep, that’s me hangin’ out with the gals above, and you can hear a bit of their music below.

 

SOME OCCASIONAL COMMON SENSE FROM THE SUPREME COURT

Is privacy dead in America?  Many of us thought it was after a disastrous year of almost total usurpation of both freedom and privacy by the federal government. Since the founding of our country more than 200 hundred years ago, Americans have enjoyed the core rights and liberties that have made our country not just unique, but exceptional in protecting basic freedoms. But no more!  The Patriot Act was the beginning of stripping basic American civil liberties, and it’s been all downhill with one assault after another on basic freedoms.  There was a slight blip or light at the end of the tunnel this week, when the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that law enforcement officers cannot arbitrarily attach a GPS  to your car to monitor everywhere you are going.  They have to get a search warrant.  Take a look at the positives of this Supreme Court decision, and more commentary on the erosion of basic liberties in this week’s column now posted.  You can read it by Clicking on the Red Flashing Box above, or by Clicking Here.  Still not concerned!  Check out the video below.

Sunday means the Common Sense show is close at hand with a solid program for all our listeners.  Mitt Romney pays a 15% tax rate because of capital gains.  Is that fair?  We will talk to Wall Street Journal columnist John Berlau who will help us analyze the pros and cons of the tax system.  Bestselling author Col. Brad Taylor will also visit abut his new book, “All Necessary Force.”Â  It is fiction but reads like present day confrontations with the U.S. and terrorism.  Are counterterrorism tactics really effective?  You can read all about the Col. Taylor’s new book by Clicking Here.

Placing a bet on the Super Bowl?  Jim will have a Las Vegas odds maker tell us the current line, and just how much is bet every year.  And be sure to mark this Friday’s date, February 3^rd.  Jim will host the popular nationally syndicated radio show, hosted by popular host Jason Lewis.  Jason is a regular fill in for Rush Limbaugh, and he has asked Jim to fill in for him on Friday.  The show airs  from 5pm until 8pm central time, in major cities coast to coast on the Genesis Communications Network.

In the present presidential campaign, few words are ever spoken about international confrontations and the plight of our troops serving all over the world.  Many of us do not know any family that has a son or daughter serving overseas, so we can’t comprehend the anxiety and worry that they go through every day.  It’s almost like they are mercenaries who are far removed from our concerns. Pity.  There is so much at stake.  But are politicians in both parties see clueless, out of touch, as to the price so many of these soldiers and their families pay.  I hope much more concern is expressed and discussed as this campaign continues.

North Carolina has always been my second home, since I went to Chapel Hill as an undergraduate and we travel up to the western North Carolina mountains several times a year.  I always drive through Hendersonville and pass by the We Buy Gold store on the route through this small town.  I’ve never stopped in, but I can tell you, there is one tough Dude working there.  Take a look at the “Rocky” video below.  A great job of protecting his store.

I don’t know what’s happening where you live, but in my home state of Louisiana, property insurance rates have skyrocketed since 2005 — by an astounding 40%. No other state in the country has experienced such dramatic increases. And we continue to read that it’s all the fault of Katrina. There have been no major weather related losses in a number of years, but the rates continue to go up. There must be something rotten in Denmark. Sure the cost of living causes everything to be a little more expensive. But 40%? That’s confiscatory. And we continue to pour taxpayer dollars into the coffers of companies like AIG. Read over my column that is now posted and see what you think? Are you happy with your current insurance rates? And is your legislature doing enough to protect you against unscrupulous insurance practices. You can read my column now by Clicking on the Red Flashing Box above or by Clicking Here.

Well, most of you have never heard of little Lindsey Williams College.  But they pulled the upset of the year in beating might Georgetown (well, not that Georgetown) with a final shot at the buzzer.  The announcer, obviously excited, goes wild.  So take a look at the final shot.

Former Pennsylvania senator Rick Santorum is making his last stand in the Presidential race. It’s “do or die” in the coming primary in South Carolina. I had a long visit in Santorum in New Orleans a few months ago. He seems genuine and quite a personable fellow. But he seems to be running for president based on social issues. The country has some huge economic problems, and Rick, continually wearing his sweater vest, is preoccupied with how we live our lives. I like the guy. I’m sure I would enjoy having a beer with him. But he has failed to focus on ways to get our economic engine moving again. My prediction? Rick Santorum will be out of the race and on the Romney bandwagon shortly after the Florida primary.

My friend for more than 40 years, Sammy Nunez died this week.  He was a giant in Louisiana politics for all those years, and served as president of the Louisiana Senate for some 15 years.  I can’t recall an election of mine where Sammy was not there in full support.  He was with me in good times and bad, and I have always appreciated his friendship.  Sammy and I have stayed in touch long after political life.  I heard he was hospitalized and I made a trip this past weekend to Oshner Hospital in New Orleans.  Sammy was sleeping and full of a number of tubes.  I stayed for an hour to visit and remember in my mind the many campaigns we went through.  I left him a long note, but he never regained consciousness.  Sammy”˜s funeral service will take place this week at St. Louisiana Cathedral in New Orleans with the Archbishop presiding.  I will be there to pay my final respects to a true friend.  See story of his life by Clicking Here and in the video below.

 

There are special lessons to be learned fr0m those who are successful in the jobs they do.  Particularly at the highest level of accomplishment.  And I think we would all agree that being elected as President of the United States, or being the Head Coach of a National Championship football team qualifies as being exceptional.  Take a minute to look over my new column this week.  I take a look at Alabama Coach Nick Saban’s trouncing of LSU in the BCS Championship game this week.  And how about Mitt Romney, who is well on his way to becoming the Republican nominee for President.  What do these guys have in common?  You can read the column right now by Clicking Here, or by going to the Flashing Red Box above.

Coach Saban, in his post victory press conference, referred to the new movie of World War II black fighter pilots.  You can watch the trailer of the movie that game the Alabama team inspiration below.

The weekend is close at hand, and, as is usually the case, the Common Sense Show will pack 2 hours of lively discussion this weekend.  Our network continues to grow, and we hope you will be in that number of new listeners.  You can expect that we will rehash the Alabama victory in the Monday’s BCS Bowl, and we will also take a look at the fast paced Republican primaries.  Does frontrunner Mitt Romney have the nomination sewn up?

We will also be joined by Dr. Veronica Tomor on how you stay healthy while traveling.  Can you eat right, keep off the pounds, and still survive the travel temptations?  She’s written a great book called “L.E.A.N. Guide for Business Traveler,” and you can find out more about it by Clicking Here.

And how about some humor in dealing with the Good Lord?  Is there anything funny about God?  Author and humorist Linda Potter will be on the show for both fun and serious talk. She keeps one laughing in her new book, “If Only God Would Give Me a Sign.” Find out more of Linda and her book by Clicking Here.  We look forward to having you join us this weekend on the”Common Sense” radio program.

Well the LSU Tigers took in on the chin, and were completely outclassed by a better coached Alabama football team in the BCS Championship in New Orleans this past Monday night.  I was in the Big Easy, and broadcast the “Common Sense” program from the Hilton Hotel were the JSU team was staying.  It was quite a fun filled weekend with fans from both schools converging throughout the dawn town area.  I make reference to Alabama Coach Nick Sabin’s motivational expertise in this week’s column, so take a look.  And you can be assured that we have witnessed the creation of the nation’s top collegiate rivalry for many years to come.  Congrats to the Crimson Tide.  They are certainly No. 1.

(Visiting with republican  presidential front runner Mitt Romney in New York recently.)

Governor Mitt Romney’s Iowa caucus victory this week drew nothing more than a few yawns down in Louisiana.  Not much interest over a former east coast governor who, as best they know, has not stepped foot in the state.  Romney seems to be well on his way to winning the Republican presidential nomination, and, once again, Louisiana will be left on the side of the road.  Gov. Bobby Jindal’s candidate, Gov. Rick Perry and his campaign are toast.  And Louisiana blew the chance to have the first presidential primary.  So now it seems that Mitt Romney is well on his way to the Republican nomination, unless he can be over taken by former Pennsylvania Senator Rick Santorum. The former Pennsylvania Senator is pictured below, and will be a guest on our program the end of this month.  I talked with them both recently and you can read my views in my new column now posted. And what’s in store for the Louisiana Governor?  Read it all now by Clicking Here, or by going to the Red Flashing Box at the top of this site.

The “Common Sense” radio program will broadcast live from the heart of the French Quarter in downtown New Orleans this weekend. What a football weekend it is. The New Orleans Saints will be playing their first playoff game in the Superdome on Saturday night, January 7th, then comers Monday night and the BCS college championship game with home state favorite, the LSU Tigers. We will live reports on the game as our studio looks over the Superdome.

We will check in with former Louisiana Governor and presidential candidate Buddy Roemer. Did you know he received 55 votes in the Iowa caucus this week? And he may make his first television debate. Does Roemer have legs? We will talk with him at 9:30 central time.

Finally, how healthy is your heart? I personally am a believer in Dr. Caldwell Essselstyn’s lifestyle of being careful what you eat. What to live to be 100? Dr. Esselstyn will tell you how, and will also tell you have to wipe out heart disease. His book, “Prevent and Reverse Heart Disease” is available by Clicking Here. All this and a lot more on the “Common Sense” show. See you on the radio.

It’s crunch time for Presidential candidate and former Louisiana Governor Buddy Roemer. So far, he has been left out of all the televised debates and has not received much notice. But Roemer says he’s been gaining some “Roementum” in the New Hampshire polls””with a 3% showing in the most recent New Hampshire polls and it looks like ABC has agreed to allow him to participate in its jointly sponsored debate with Yahoo in Manchester, N.H., on Jan. 7 if he can reach 5%. The debate is just three days before the state’s primary, which is also the nation’s first.

Roemer says his uptick in the polls means voters in New Hampshire have “smelled all the other candidates and ended up throwing them away like yesterday’s garbage.” Governor Roemer will be a guest on our weekend “Common Sense” radio program at 10:00 central time, and you can hear him on stations nationwide over the Genesis Communications Network, and right here by Clicking on the blue button at the top of the page. Here’s the latest on Roemer from the Wall Street Journal. (Click Here). And you can view his latest TV spot running in New Hampshire below.

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New Year 2012 Pictures Comments – Photobucket

A lot of us are not all that optimistic about 2012.  At least, as well as politics and both national and international events go.  2011 was certainly nothing to brag about, and who can get excited about presidential choices barnstorming the country right now.  On the other hand, and we make resolutions for the New Year, maybe it’s a good time to focus more on personal relationships.  Friends and family”¦.and perhaps making new friends.  That’s the focus of this wonderful video someone passed along.  It’s well worth a look, so take a few minutes, sit back and enjoy some memories of the past that might make us focus on more important things for the future.

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 NEW YEAR THOUGHTS FROM THE BAYOU STATE

Did you make a New Year’s resolution yet? I always do.  Oh,  there are all the usuals.  Spend more time with the family.  Get in better shape. Read more books.  But I try to make a list of more personal challenges.  And let’s face it.  The year 2012 is going to be a real uphill battle for our country.  I have summed up my New Year’s resolutions for the future, and have taken a look  back at December 31st gatherings over a number of years.  You can read my new column by Clicking Here, or by hitting the flashing red box at the top center of this page.

You can also watch the final New Year’s countdown last year in Times Square in the video below.And also shown below is y9our list of government imposed New Year’s resolutions.  Happy New Year!

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Well I’m a regular on the workout circuit, and you can generally find me at Bally’s Health Club in Baton Rouge five days a week when I’m in town.  And these folks are certainly appreciative.  Check out my Christmas presents from Bally’s this year below.

 

With the New Year upon us, we look at the old and bring in the new.  My favorite New Year’s song, What are you doing New Year’s Eve?, is up on the juke box.  And how can you not love the final scene on New Year’s Eve in the movie, When harry Met Sally?  You can check out Billy Chrystal’s final pitch to keep Meg Ryan below.

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Merry Christmas Louisiana.  Here’s your present from your public officials.  A big boost in your property insurance premiums.  All from the same folks that have been sticking you with higher rates for years because of their lack of proper oversight and outright incompetence.  So enjoy your holidays and get out your checkbook.  More increases are on the way.  Check out my new column now posted.  It paints and chilling and troubling picture of one of the most incompetent state agencies in the country.  You can read it now by Clicking on the red flashing box above or by Clicking Here.

Yes, it’s Christmas on Sunday this year, but it doesn’t slow down the “Common Sense” radio show.  We will be on the air both this Sunday, as well as New Year’s Day for all you die hards who are up early and wasn’t to get caught up on news around the country.  Sure, we will talk about Christmas.  What’s it cost to replicate the twelve days of Christmas, and buy all the items on the list?  Partridges, pear trees and turtle doves?  What do they cost today?

Anything special going on in your family this holiday season?  We will open up the phone lines and give our listeners a chance to share their stories of family traditions.  And we can’t forget the meaning of this special day.  You know, the Lord himself created the idea of traditions.  Check out Numbers 28:6 and Deuteronomy 16:17, where he commanded the people to observe specific holy days and rituals every year.  So plenty to talk about, and we hope you will join in.

And you may also want to listen to our Baton Rouge show on Monday, December 26th, on WJBO FM in Baton Rouge.  I’ll be on the air from 5:30 am until 9:00 am.  You can listen over the world wide web at www.wjbo.com.   See you on the radio.

Happy Holidays to you and all your family.  Here’s a video well worth watching.  We have some very special men and women serving our country, and who also make the best of their duty to celebrate Christmas.  Take a look.[kml_flashembed movie="http://www.youtube.com/v/SDZcGz4vmJc" width="425" height="344" allowfullscreen="true" fvars="fs=1" /]

If you are a bookophile like me, or just curious in trying to seek out real offbeat gems in beautiful cities, one of my favorites has always been the Shakespeare and Company Bookstore in Paris.  It could not be in a more picturesque location,  right on the on the Rive Seine and directly opposite Notre Dame cathedral.  It was opened in 1952 by George Whitman, who set a goal of making book shop the center of English-language literary life in Paris.  His years of hard work made Shakespeare and Company the most beloved and famous bookstore in the world.  I have never missed spending “browsing time” there on numerous trips to Paris.  To read more of the passing of this special guy, Click Here.

As the end of the year winds down, there sure is plenty to talk about on the weekly “Common Sense” radio program.  Republican presidential politics will be our lead topic, and the fight for the GOP nomination becomes testy and confrontational.  How has the political drive and campaign rhetoric changed in the past 50 years?  Author Robert Mann, who is a professor at Manship School of journalism at LSU, has a new book out that takes us back.  “Daisy Petals and Mushroom Clouds“ reviews with us how one political ad by President Lyndon Johnson against Senator Barry Goldwater changed how the public views American politics.  You can read more about Prof. Mann’s book by Clicking Here.

With the coming holidays, we are all interested I holding down our weight and keeping good health.  Kirk Hamilton joins us for nutritional and fitness advice, all discussed in his new book, “Staying Healthy in the Fast Lane.”Â  Full information on Kirk’s book can be found by Clicking Here.

And we will check in with our old friend of the show, Dr. Ann Gittleman.  I drink one of her “Fat Flush”Â  smoothie shakes every day with fruit and yogurt, and we will visit with the Doc. about her new book, “Zapped,“ that tells you how to outsmart the hazards of electronic pollution.  You can read more about Dr. Gittleman and her books and products by Clicking here. So be sure to join us this Sunday Morning from 9:00 am until 11:00 am central time on stations nationwide, or right here on this site by going to the flashing blue box above.  We’ll see you on the radio.

IN LOUISIANA, NO MORE HORSEMEAT

IN MY GUMBO?

This is virtually no limit on what a Louisianan will put in a gumbo.  So when one of our own politicians starts talking about banning anything we want to eat, “them’s fightin’ words.”Â  But that’s just what one on Louisiana’s U.S. senators, Mary Landrieu, wants to do.  Landrieu has for years led a national fight to ban the sale of horsemeat for consumption in the U.S.  So it’s apparently OK to eat Porky Pig, Bambi, and Donald Duck.  But please don’t mess with Mr. Ed or Trigger.  Jim Brown takes a tongue in cheek look at all the controversy over horsemeat in his new column now posted.  You can read it now by Clicking Here, or by Clicking on the flashing Red Box above.  And check out the taste of horsemeat in the video below.

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The Holliday season is busy for all of us, and we certainly will have a full agenda on this week’s “Common Sense” radio show.  For the rest of the year, I’ll be hosting the sow live from our flagship station, Clear Channel’s WJBO AM out of my hometown of Baton Rouge.  Christmas always gives us plenty of things to talk about (Oops.  Is saying “Christmas” politically?  Well it is on our “Common Sense” show.)  We will talk about the highs and lows of 201l, and discuss with several guests religious implications of all the turmoil that seems to be growing throughout the world.

Nationally known defense attorney and radio show host Misty Oaks, from Atlanta, will be on the show to talk about how inconsistent justice is handed out in criminal cases throughout the country.  She will touch on the controversially note that both religion and money unfortunately, pay large role in our sometimes “unjust” American legal system.

And what skin problems do you face in cold weather?  Still need sun scream?  What do you do about dry skin?  Dermatologist Dr. Scott Jackson will offer some practical advice as to how to deal with winter weather and still keep your skin healthy.  You can find out more of Dr. Jackson and his clinic by Clicking Here.

We will update this site with more show guests and schedules as the weekend gets nearer, so keep any eye out, and we hope you will be able to join us on the “Common Sense” show this Sunday morning, from 9:00 until 11:00 am central time,  on stations nationwide.  See you on the radio.

During this special time of the year, my favorite Christmas performance is to attend a presentation of the Hallelujah Chorus. This musical tribute  is part of the Messiah, an oratorio composed by George Frideric Handel, and is one of the most popular works in the Western choral literature. The most famous movement is the “Hallelujah” chorus, which concludes the second of the three parts. The text is drawn from three passages in the New Testament book of Revelation.  You can see quite an original version performed at a food court last year.  It’s well worth seeing, especially the crowd’s reaction,.  Take a look below.

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Fox News commentator Chris Wallace sure knows how to stir up the controversy.  I was with him at a conference in Washington in October, and he lobbed a few political grenades then. I was  glad they were not lobbed at me.  But now he’s jumped right into a football confrontation with his colleague Shep Sheppard.  LSU was all part of the latest controversy as Sheppard lamely defended his Ole Miss Rebels (or whatever they are now) as Wallace really rubbed it in on how bad Ole Miss football was this year.  It’s an amusing interview that you can see below.

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REPUBLICANS FLIP, DEMOCRATS FLOP

ON HEALTHCARE!

This whole issue of healthcare mandates has become the key controversial factor in the Obamacare debate.  Surely there are some principle-based arguments being made by both republicans and democrats as this matter moves to the U.S. Supreme Court?  But it would seem to be “politics as usual” in Washington, as both republicans and democrats have continued to “flip flop on the mandate issue.  A little research will show us that the republicans were all for a mandate before they, for unknown reasons, turned against such a mandate.  When the President was running for office, he was all against such a mandate.  Now he is leading the charge.  Conviction?  Or just plain old opportunistic politics?  Take a look at my new column now posted that tries to make a little “common sense” out of this complicated but important issue.  You can read it now by clicking on the flashing red box above or by Clicking Here.  And you can see the Obama take on the mandate, when he was running for office, in the video below.

Heading into the holidays, there sure is plenty to talk about on our weekend “Common sense“ program.  Presidential politics updates will e a part of this weekend’s show.  Is the GOP nomination tightening up and are we looking at either former Mass. Governor Mitt Romney or former House Speaker Newt Gingrich as the nominee?  Are both Perry and Cain toast?  We will take a look.

And is it time to clean house in Washington?  Best selling author Peter Schweizer thinks so, and we will be discussing his new book, “Throw Them All Out“ that is on a number of best selling lists.  He will discuss all the “insider trading” that goes on by members of congress, and how their actions would e a federal crime if you and I did what these members of congress do every day.  You can read more about Peter’s book by Clicking Here.

And we always talk about keeping you healthy.  James Carlson joins us to talk about his controversial new book, “Genocide! How your Doctor’s Dietary Ignorance Will Kill you!!!!”Â  This discussion should shake things up, and you can find out more about the Carlson book by Clicking Here.  Join us this weekend on “Jim Brown’s Common Sense.”

Well, another “Oops” moment for Texas Governor Rick Perry.  He’s up in New Hampshire trying to salvage a dying campaign, and the poor guy just can’t get a break.  So he tells a group of young voters that they can vote when they are 21.  Hey Rick”¦..the voting age is now 18.  Then he reminds them to vote on Election Day of November 12^th.  Again Rick, if you are running for President, you need to at least know when the election date is.  Try November 6^th!  Then he rubs salt in his campaign wounds by referring to the New Hampshire Primary as a “caucus” state.  (See article by Clicking Here,) Our Governor here in Louisiana, Bobby Jindal, has endorsed Perry for President.  Jindal ought to give Perry a little coaching.  And do it quick  Bobby, for Perry should be long gone from the race come early spring.  But really, he has become almost irrelevant now.  See Rick’s latest screw up in the video below.

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Former Louisiana Governor Buddy Roemer just can’t seem to get “no respect” from the GOOP political establishment, but he seems to be getting more air time over national television.  He has a message that, quite frankly, would resonate well if he could join the group of real characters who make up the present Republican field that debates once a week.  Roemer’s message?  Too much money in the system.  Little accountability and too many politicians on the take for campaign contributions.  Take a look at Roemer on MSNBC’s Morning Joe this week and see what you think.
 

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

 Prosecutorial Misconduct Prevalent in the U.S. ?

Over the past few months, there has been a rash of reports and charges of widespread and intentional withholding of evidence on the part of federal prosecutors in a number of high profile criminal cases.  Intentional is the key word here.  Mistakes can be made when prosecutors work under heavy case loads and the pressure of meeting deadlines.  But in way too many cases, prosecutors hiding evidence that is favorable to the defense has proven to be deliberate, and in direct violation of the law.  My new column takes a close look at this   blight on the American justice system, today.  You can read it now by Clicking Here, or by going to the Flashing Red Box above.

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Thanksgiving weekend will be a good time to relax with family, and tune in to the “Common Sense“ radio program.  It’s been a busy week in the news, and we will have a lot to cover.  Presidential politics continues on the front burner, and the first primary is only six weeks away. Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich is the GOP flavor of the month, and now he is under fire for receiving $1.8 million to give advice to Freddie Mac, a government created entity that he criticized while in congress. It looks like Rick Perry is toast, the jury is still out on Herman Cain, and ole’ Mitt Romney just keeps “hanging in there.”Â  So who has the best shot of defeating the President?  We will discuss it on Sunday.

Have you ever eaten at a Chris’ Steak House?  It was founded in New Orleans but now operates coast to coast.   The founder, Ruth Fertel, was a longtime family friend and her son, Randy Fertel, will join me to go down memory lane and talk about his growing up in the restaurant business.  Randy heads up the Fertel Foundation, and is an active part of bringing initiatives to cities all over America that bring new insights for growth.  His new book, Gorilla Man and the Empress of Steak, is amusing and informative.  You can read more about Randy’s book by Clicking Here.

And here are several new additions for Sunday’s show.  If you have struggled on your weight loss journey, this certainly won’t be your first diet book, but it may very well be your last! Discover how you, too, can lose a significant amount of weight using the Scripture method that Ben Sley used to safely lose 50 lbs in 6 months. We will talk about his new book, Christian Weight Loss.  You can get more information on Ben’s book by Clicking Here.

And do you believe in psychics?  Someone who communicates with the dead?  A practicing lawyer for over two decades, Mark Anthony is also a gifted medium who has worked with thousands of clients. He shares what he says are true stories of contact with spirits and their  messages of forgiveness, gratitude, and acceptance.  Mark will tell  you how you will be able to recognize and make contact with the spirits of your loved ones.  Listen to see if you are convinced.  Click Here for more information on Mark.

Lots more to cover, so join us this Sunday from 9:00 am until 11:00 am on Jim Brown’s “Common Sense.”  We will see you on the radio.

From all the Brown Family and our Common Sense Radio Family, we want to wish you and yours a Happy Thanksgiving as we move into the Holiday Season. Enjoy your weekend and we hope you will join us on the radio Sunday from 9:00 am until 11:00 am central time.

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 YOU ARE GOING TO VOTE — OR ELSE!

Why don’t more people show up to vote on Election Day?  In elections all over America, fewer voters are turning out at the polls than ever before. The New York Times ran an op-ed piece last week decrying this national trend, and suggesting that voting be mandatory, just like jury duty. So how big is the problem, and how important is it to force citizens to vote?  I write about it in this week’s column now posted.  You can read it by going to the flashing blue box above, or by Clicking Here.

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The weekend is rolling around, and before you know it, The Common Sense radio show will be live and broadcasting all across American and worldwide.  In this crazy would in which we live, there is always much to talk about.  Penn State?  Will this troubling controversy ever subside?  And just what should the University do? Shut down the football program?  I’ll give you my thoughts this weekend.

And how about making it mandatory for every American over the age of 18 to vote?  Or get fined.  Australia does it.  So do twenty one Latin American countries.  Good idea or bad?  Check out my new column above and we will talk about it this weekend.

Do you know that former President Bill Clinton has become a vegan, and do you even know what a vegan really is?  An eating and lifestyle that hopefully keeps the heart and other organs ticking and working well right up to a ripe old age.  Dr. Ann Gittleman, from California, will join us at 9:30 central time to discuss how you can become healthier yet still enjoy what you eat.  Should you eat meat and dairy products?  What are the best substitutes?  Dr. Gittleman has a great nutritional website at www.annlouise.com, and nutrition advice at www.smoothieshakedown.com.  Her new book, “Fat Slush for Life” has a number of great tips, and you can read all about it by Clicking here.

All this and more on the Radio this weekend.  Be sure and tune in.

Is Iraqi politician Ahmed Chalabi one of the all time great con artists?  His supposedly “accurate” information was a key element in why America went to war in Iraq in the first place.  It proofed to be unreliable.  The U.S. fed him millions of dollars and now it seems he has also leaked information to Iran.  The Wall Street Journal this week outlined his various causes and questionable positions in a lengthy news article that you can read by Clicking Here.  I visited with him in Washington last year (see above) and he certainly is a smooth operator.

Priming Germans for the Holocaust

I hope you had the chance to watch the History Channel special this week, “Engineering Evil,” that is devoted to the process of how the Nazis carried out the Holocaust. There were details of how the whole exterminations process was planned and we learned about things like crematorium design. But another kind of engineering “” call it human.  A plan to destroy the whole Jewish race, with knowledge and participation far beyond the Military.

The Nazi plan required a populace that was, at best, willing to look the other way and, at worst, a participant. The program documents how the Nazis began creating that reality even before their military expansion started, removing Jews from jobs in education, medicine and other fields and demonizing them in all sorts of propaganda. That included as infamous a board game as has ever been produced: the supposedly family-friendly Jews Out, from 1936. The winner was the person who accumulated the most Jews for deportation.

The program aggressively challenges the “just following orders” defense and the notion that “ordinary” Germans were not at fault in the Holocaust. “After the Jews were sent off, people moved into their homes, took over their businesses,” says Michael Berenbaum of American Jewish University. “So on some level the local populations understood these people were not coming back.”

The program also conveys that the effort to exterminate Jews was an evolving phenomenon that required people “” not all of them Nazis “” to design and build the infrastructure of trains, gas chambers and ovens to do the deed. The Nazis and their enablers tackled the Holocaust with a problem-solving ethos not unlike what we associate with the Manhattan Project or the lunar landing.

Bottom line.  There was full support and participation by thousands of average Germans, way beyond the military.  The stain on the soul of the German nation is still there and will be for years to come.  Germans today are stuck with this stain, all because of “the sins of their fathers.”Â  Least we not forget.

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VETERANS HONORED AROUND THE WORLD!

Many soothsayers are excited about what may happen on 11/11/11.  The number 11 is supposedly considered to be a Master Number.  Believers say you can use your mind power to actualize what you want in your life.  You can predict forward.  Those who are more realistic, like yours truly, acknowledge that this is a special day, but one to remember.  To look back.  So few in our country even know that November 11^th is a special day to honor the millions of veterans who served and fought throughout this century to protect our right to be free. November 11^th is Veterans Day.  For many Americans, Veterans Day is just another holiday to get off work. But it’s much more important that that.

Take a look at my special Veteran’s Day remembrances, both in this country and overseas.  You can read my new column now by Clicking here or by hitting the red flashing box above. And below are two of my favorite videos about our men and women who have served and how they should be getting a better shake in this country today.  I hope you agree.

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Hey, the weekend is near, and although most of us down here in Louisiana are still celebrating over the big LSU victory over Alabama, we have business to do and some important subjects to cover n the “Common Sense” radio program this Sunday.  We will start with a weekend update on the presidential election and ask some key questions.  Is Republican candidate Herm Cain Toast?  Does Mitt Romney have the nomination about sewed up?  Is there any possible chance of a new entry in this race?  Join us in the discussion.

Bestselling author David Shipler will join us to talk but his new book, The “Rights of the People.”Â  How have our rights to privacy and justice been undermined? What exactly have we lost? Shipler is a Pulitzer Prize winner, and he searches for the answers to these questions by examining the historical expansion and contraction of our fundamental rights and, most pointedly, the real-life stories of individual men and women who have suffered. This is the account of what has been taken””and of how much we stand to regain by protesting the departures from the Bill of Rights. Shipler’s book is an important statemnt on how much freedom we as Americans have given up, and you can find out more informaion about it by Clicking here.

I don’t know about you, but I fly a lot and have always had concerns about just who is looking out for air safety.  Is the FAA doing a good job?  There is overwhelming evidence that the FAA is very far from attaining safety, responsiveness, or accountability. Robert M. Misic, the author of Crash & Burn: The Bureaupathology of the Federal Aviation Administration, believes that, when citizens get a clear view of what is happening behind the curtain of secrecy, they will take steps to stop it. Misic thinks the public will demand accountability for self-serving, dishonest, and unlawful actions. They will expect a thorough housecleaning. This book was written to pull back that curtain of secrecy and reveal the true nature of the FAA. Timing Inside the FAA, there is much dissatisfaction; the agency ranks 214th out of 216 federal agencies in a “best places to work “index compiled in 2009 by the nonprofit Partnership for Public Service.  Robert Misic book, “Crash and Burn” is posted above, and you can find out more information about it by Clicking Here.

So join us this weekend on our “Common Sense“ radio program heard around the world on the world wide web by over a  million listeners, and on stations all across America.

     

MAJOR POLITICAL SHAKEUP  ON THE LOUISIANA HORIZON?

In my home state of Louisiana, voters are about to witness a high stakes political game of musical chairs on both the state and national level.  This could lead to new faces in the top three Louisiana political offices.  We just could be talking about U.S. Senator Bobby Jindal, Governor David Vitter, as well as new Washington lobbyist, Mary Landrieu.  The political posturing for these future offices is already underway.  Check out my thoughts in  my new column now posted.  You can read it now by Clicking Here, or by going to the flashing red box at the top of this site.

The weekend is close at hand and we are working hard to bring our listeners another lively and interesting radio program.  We broadcast live each Sunday Morning from 9:00 am until 11:00 am central time, and a number of stations rerun our show at various times throughout the week.  We will, as always, take a quick look at the national news stories that are breaking over the weekend.  Then follow up with several specific topics and new guests.

Is American read for a Mormon President?  In his upcoming film, “A Mormon President,” director Adam Christing explores whether America is ready for a Mormon president. Christing and his team take a comprehensive look at the faith system’s history and the multitude of contemporary thoughts, opinions and controversies that often surround it.  We will talk to Adam about his new film that, as you can imagine, is creating a great deal of interest.  Check out the trailer below.  And to learn more about Adam’s movie, you can Click Here.

Also, we live in a time of numerous natural disasters.  In this year alone, there have been 87 separate Disaster Declarations in the United States; a statistic that reflects only wide-reaching natural disasters, not personal ones. Crises affect everyone and come in all shapes and sizes: hurricanes, accidents at home, even job losses. You can’t stop them, but you can learn how to be prepared. Professional Ski Patroller Kim Kircher is a crisis-management expert; it’s her job to help people through some of the worst experiences of their lives.  Kim will talk to me about her new book, “The Next Fifteen Minutes,”and you can read all about it by Clicking Here.

Finally, we have just lost daylight savings time.  Are you adjusting OK?  Sean Folkson, “The Sleep Guy” will visit and tell us all about adjusting to the time change, and getting both better and more sleep in general.  Sean has full information about better sleep and a great speep nutrition bar that you can check out by Clicking here. 

So a real full schedule all set for this weekend.  Be sure and tune in.  Check out your local listings, and you can listen live by Clicking on the Blue Flashing box above.  Our show is also podcasted and archived for future listening.  See you on the radio.

So just what’s with this guy Herman Cain.  I’ve tried to follow his logic on his 9/9/9 tax proposal.  When I first heard about it, I thought that’s what his new pizza cost.  And now”¦all the messy sexual harassment controversy.  So whenever I need the proper perspective on tough issues, I called for a comment to my good buddy, Andy Boritz.  Here is Andy’s take.

“Rick Perry waded into the brouhaha over the sexual harassment charges against Republican presidential rival Herman Cain, telling reporters, “If it turns out he’s innocent, then he should be executed.”Â  Noting that the case against Mr. Cain was far from airtight, Gov. Perry said, “In Texas we’ve fried men for less than that.”Â  The Texas governor stopped short of saying that he would personally put Mr. Cain to death, but added, “I’ll tell you what, if I had to do it, I’d sleep like a baby that night.”Â  While the sexual allegations against Mr. Cain gained traction, the former CEO was said to be huddling with two of his closest advisors, Papa John and Little Caesar.”Â  Right on, Andy.

Now to get the real story, I do what I often do.  Turn to Steven Colbert.  See his comments in the video below.

The Louisiana Book Festival has become one of the premier book events in the nation.  Hundreds of authors and book lovers converged on Baton Rouge this past weekend to hear lectures from a wide list of folks who just love books.  Our own Lisburn Press was there, and I had the pleasure of presenting a seminar on just how a new author gets a book published.  Our latest publication, “Edwin Edwards-Governor of Louisiana,” continues to sell extremely well, and the former Governor himself spoke at the festival to an overflow crowd.

Above, I’m pictured with General Russell Honore’, who took over command of New Orleans in the days following Katrina.  The world watched on TV as the General marched into New Orleans and ordered soldiers to “put down those guns.”Â  He has a new book coming out soon on “Leadership.”Â Â  And one of his most famous lines were “Let’s not get stuck on Stupid,” as you can see below.

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ABC news personalty Cokie Roberts also spoke at the Festival (See below).  Cokie’s mother is my longtime friend, Lindy Boggs, who still is quite active in her late 90s.  Lindy served for years in congress and was U.S. Ambassador to the Vatican.  Cokie came to Baton Rouge to discuss her new book, Ladies of Liberty:  “The Women Who Shaped our Nation.”

Well, as you can tell, I’m a big fan of Halloween.  Lots of practice gathering up candy over the years with four kids,  four grandkids, and a varied assortment of nieces, nephews and all the neighborhood gang.  This year was no exception as you can see above.  And boy, did I scoop up on the candy.  Hope you too had a happy Halloween!

Hey, fall weekends mean football, cooler wither, leafs everywhere, and, of course, the “Common Sense“ radio show on Sunday Mornings.  Looking at the past week, the Presidential race looks crazier, the economy continues to zig zag, and the world around us seems to be more and more unsettling.   We will take a look at the aftermath of Libya.  Are the interests of the U.S. more stable?  Or have we helped open a new can of worms.  Foreign Policy expert on the Middle East Kathleen Busch will join me in discussing just how American handles Libya and surrounding countries now that Qaddafi has been assassinated. See the Qaddafi final minutes below.  Kathleen Busch has written a compelling book on Leadership, and full information is available by Clicking Here.

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And I don’t know about you, but I love the theater, and one of the top Broadway producers is Mitchell Maxwell.  He produced “Damn Yankees,”Â  “Torch Song Trilogy” and a number of other well know Broadway plays.  His new book, all about the theater, is called “Little Did I Know,” a rollicking story of theater life.  You can read up on his book by Clicking here.

The World Series, my recent travels and much more all this weekend on Jim Brown’s “Common Sense” on stations all across the country, and right here on this site by Clicking on the Blue flashing box above.  See you on the radio.

 

THE COST OF BEING UNHEALTHY!

Americans continue to become less healthy and less productive, mainly because of lifestyle.  That’s the conclusion of a new Gallup study released this week.  More than 30% of American workers are overweight and have one or more chronic health problems.  And the economic cost is staggering.  The American economy now suffers annual lost productivity costs of more than $153 billion. What can we individually do about it?  Check out my new column that looks at  “Common Sense” ideas to make us all more healthy and live longer.  You can read it now by Clicking Here, or by Clicking on the Flashing Red box above.  You can also watch former President Bill Clinton’s new “vegan diet” on the video to the left.

A full plate of topics on this week’s “Common Sense.”Â  We will continue our discussion about the confrontational tone of Republican candidates for president. The continuing, sometimes rude and even juvenile bickering on debates platforms no doubt brings smiles to the faces of the Obama team.  So who is rising above the fray and moving ahead?  We will have several political analysts join me to discuss who the Republican nominee is going to be.

We will also have, as a return guest, Multiple Emmy-Award-winner Barry Petersen, who has covered wars, genocide, interviewed dozens of stars, and several Bosnian War Crimes Tribunal suspects. Barry earned one of his Emmys for reporting the Siege of Sarajevo for CBS Sunday Morning. He shared both Peabody and DuPont Awards for being a part of the CBS News Radio coverage of the Tiananmen Square uprising in 1989, and an Edward R. Murrow award for, of all things, sports writing for a story on baseball coming to Beijing. One report he could have never prepared himself for, however, is when his wife, Jan, was diagnosed with Early Onset Alzheimer’s at the age of 55.  His wife is still living, and Barry will, as he has before, eloquently discuss how he and Jan are coping.  You can read more of Barry and the book by Clicking Here.

 
And hey, I just love country music.  My buddy, Randy Rudder, has written a great book called “Chicken Soup for the Soul: Country Music: The Inspirational Stories behind 101 of Your Favorite Country Songs.”Â  Randy will join us to share some funny stories of just how some of these famous country songs came about.  More about Randy’s book by Clicking here.  So a busy weekend, and we sure hope you will join us for Jim Brown’s “Common Sense.”Â  Check your local talk show listings for the time and station in your area of the country, or you can listen live right here on this site by clicking the flashing blue box above.

I’m not a Starbuck’s guy.  I just don’t either take or have the time to “hang out” to enjoy my morning cup of  Joe.  But I’ll say this.  I have great admiration for Starbuck’s chairman and chief executive Howard Schultz.  (Pictured above).He has built a company fro scratch to over 7000 stores Nationwide. I was with him last week participating in the Washington Ideas Forum, and the guy make s a lot of sense.  I applaud the way he has called for a boycott of politician contribution s to both parties, demanding that Democrats and Republicans cut out the insidious partisanship and starting working for America.  He now is calling for a nationwide effort, with Starbucks in the lead, to begin lending money to small business.  This guy seems to have it though out petty well.  Maybe he should be running for President.  You can hear him below.

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