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.” 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” 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.” 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!!!!” 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 12th. Again Rick, if you are running for President, you need to at least know when the election date is. Try November 6th! 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.” 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.
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.” 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 11th 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 11th 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.” 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 Â 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.Â
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.” Noting that the case against Mr. Cain was far from airtight, Gov. Perry said, “In Texas we’ve fried men for less than that.” 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.” 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.” 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 Colbert Report | Mon – Thurs 11:30pm / 10:30c | |||
| Herman Cain Under Attack | ||||
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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.” He has a new book coming out soon on “Leadership.”  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,” “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.” 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.
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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.” 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.” 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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I was in the nation’s capitol last week participating in a seminar on ideas for the country’s future, and listened to Supreme Court Justice Anton Scalia talk about the uniqueness of America. He said most people feel the bill of rights makes us special. But what really sets our democratic system apart, Scalia noted, are this three branches of government that are unique and that serve as a check and balance on any abuse of an individual’s rights and freedoms. So the question is, should the justice department have the power to make a unilateral decision to kill an American citizen? Yes, a real bad American citizen was recently involved when a U.S. drone wiped him out in Yemen. But who sets the rules of engagement? Take a look at my new column now posted on choices that need to be made. you can read it now by Clicking Here, or by hitting the red flashing box above.
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Presidential politics will be our focus on this week’s “Common Sense” radio show on Sunday morning. Does Mitt Romney have the Republican nomination sewed up? He seems to have made a good impression in the recent debates, and his campaign received a major boost with this week’s endorsement by New Jersey Governor Chris Christie. Has Texas Governor Rick Perry’s campaign begun to fissile?Who else, at this stage, really has a chance to beat him?
  
How about Senator Marco Rubio of Florida? The Hispanic vote could make the difference in winning the general election. Is Rubio a “lock” for the Vice Presidential nomination? We will also talk abut the religious factor?
Some evangelical Christians are demanding more than a good, moral candidate. They want a born ““again follower of Jesus Christ and Rick Perry fills that bill. Will the Mormon factor play a role in who gets elected?
We hope you will join the conversation this Sunday Morning from 9:00 am central time till 11:00 am. We hope to see you on the radio.
I had the opportunity this past week to participate in the Washington Ideas Forum in the nation’s capitol, sponsored by The Atlantic Magazine and the Aspen Institute. A number of public officials and media types were there to pontificate on what direction the country should take in the years to come.  And boy, were there a number of divergent views. MSNBC’S Chris Mathews (above) had quite a different take on problems facing America compared to Fox News reporter Chris Wallace (below). I was just was glad to be in the center of it all.
Hank Williams, Jr, just like his daddy, has always been quite popular down here in my part of the country. And we all look forward, or at least we used to, to hearing; “Are you Ready for some Football” each Monday night. But ole’ Hank really stuck his foot in his mouth last week. If you didn’t hear and see his “undiplomatic” interview, it’s posted below. But hank wasted little time in taking on Fox News, ESPN and politicians of both parties. His new song is just out and you can also hear it below.
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We have a Louisiana guy who is traveling the nation and trying to build a base as a presidential candidate. Most o you outside of Louisiana have not heard much about him, or maybe haven’t heard anything about him at all. That’s mainly because he has not been allowed to enter any of the presidential debates. Buddy Roemer was elected several times to congress from Northwest Louisiana and also served one term of Governor. Actually, he has a stronger public service resume than do most of the Republican candidates running. But he has not polled high enough to make the debate cut. Roemer is a good debater and is running on a platform to get rid of all the big campaign money in politics. I sure agree with him on this. Take a listen to Roemer’s message below, and you can go to his website by Clicking Here.
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The fall means a busy schedule her on the “Common Sense” radio network. I’ll be in Washington, D.C. a good bit of the week participating in the Washington Ideas Forum, sponsored by The Atlantic Magazine and the Aspen Institute. What a great opportunity to interact with a number of the country’s major voices in so many diverse fields. Some of the other participants include:
Top Newsmakers
And Leading Journalists
OK, OK. Maybe I’m a bit over my head, but I’ll tell you what. This ole’ Louisiana guy is pretty confident he can “hold his own against this political and news field. I’ll give you a full run down on this Sunday’s radio show. So be sure and listen.
Also scheduled on the show is Dr. Henry J. Eyring, who is the top administrator at Brigham Young University, who will discuss his controversial new book, “The Innovative University.” How do we change the DNA of Higher Education in this country from the Inside Out? We will certainly have a lively discussion. You can find out more of the Eyring book by Clicking Here
And finally, we will try to spend a little time figuring out just what the options are in the present Israel-Palestine confrontation, and how it affects American’s commitment in the Middle East. I’ll have as my guest Peggy Thomson, who a journalist and television news producer with more than twenty-five years of experience in print, radio and television, most of it overseas. During 1982, she covered the Israeli invasion of Lebanon for ABC News. In 1984, Peggy traveled to Iraq, where she covered a major escalation in the Iran-Iraq War. You can go to her website by Clicking Here.
So as full agenda of topics to discuss this weekend, all on Jim Brown’s “Common Sense.” We will see you on the radio.
  
THERE ARE BIG BUCKS IN COLLEGE SPORTS!
BUT WHO’S GETTING THEM?
With TV income at an all time high, and with attendance breaking records nationwide, the college football season is off to the most successful start in its history. Football in my home state of Louisiana is the major subject of discussion as the LSU Tigers were ranked number one in the nation by the Associated Press poll for this week. But who is getting all the money? The system in place now allows our young college athletes to be exploited, and the exploitation is being committed by their adult mentors. What a deal “” your body in exchange for a pittance of basic expenses. Read my new column that shows what a mess the NCAA has made of big time college athletics, and why more should be done for the athletes themselves. You can read it now by Clicking Here, or by hitting the red flashing box above. Also, check our sportscaster Bryant Gumbel’s comments below. He makes good sense.
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Well we are gearing up for the “Common Sense” weekend show with so many topics to cover. How about health insurance costs for a starter. The rates keep going up and up. And you know what? Unless there is some major increase in federal expenditures, or you take a cut back in your benefits, this trend is going to continue. I’ll tell you why this weekend on the radio. We will also talk about why the average citizen in countries worldwide, including the U.S. have lost faith in their officials, and why there is growing contempt for the political class. And that’s just for starters.
Award winning author and old friend Tom Piazza will be a guest to talk about his new book, “Devil Sent the Rain,” which delivers a collection of his writings on his passions-literature, music, and New Orleans. No one has chronicled New Orleans post Katrina better than Tom. He is a writer, also, for the HBO series, Treme. You can find all about his new book by Clicking Here.
And with the world so messed up right now, how about a little spiritual enlightenment? Noted author Andrew Cohen thinks we are going through a breakdown of our traditional and spiritual ways, and tells how to refocus in his new book, Evolutionary Enlightenment.” You can read more about it by Clicking Here.
So we have much to discuss and I sure hope you will be part of the discussion. Join us this weekend on stations nationwide from 9:00 am central until 11:00 am. We will see you on the radio.
Most of you who follow this site and listen to my radio program know that I’m quite fond of the state of North Carolina. I look on it as my second home. I graduated from Chapel Hill, and we have a family home up in the Blue Ridge Mountains. In fact, I’ve off to see the leaves change and enjoy the crisp fall weather in the next few weeks. Having lavished this praise, like all our states, they have some politicians who often don’t use a little “common sense” like we talk about here each week. Take this week’s statement by Governor Beverly Perdue who has declared that we should just suspend elections in 2012 for Congress until congressmen solve our economic problems. Doe she really think our policies are in such disarray that we have to basically shut down our democratic system of government?
Remember that the United States continued having elections in the Civil War, World War I, and World War II. We didn’t put democracy on hold just because we felt like it. There is this thing called the constitution. Now I think I know where the lady is coming from. She must feel if there are no pressures on congressmen to campaign, then they can focus on our economic ills. But Senators with a six year term ahead of them are just as ornery and cantankerous as house members expressing little interest in finding common ground with the opposing party. Republicans seem to be solely focused on defeating the president at whatever cost. Good luck at any chance for a meaningful dialogue.
Already people are suggesting she just had to be joking. It sure didn’t come across that way. Here’s what the governor said: “”You have to have more ability from Congress,” said Gov. Perdue, “I think, to work together and to get over the partisan bickering and focus on fixing things. I think we ought to suspend, perhaps, elections for Congress for two years and just tell them we won’t hold it against them, whatever decisions they make, to just let them help this country recover. I really hope that someone can agree with me on that.” No joking here. Come on Governor. My show is on a number of North Carolina stations. So you really ought to listen and gain a little “Common Sense.”
Well you know the President has some big election problems when he begins receiving public lectures from democratic strategist and fellow Louisianan James Carville. The Ragin’ Cajun made his thoughts quite clear last week when he said: “People often ask me what advice I would give the White House about various things. Today I was mulling over election results from New York and Nevada while thinking about that very question. What should the White House do now? One word came to mind: Panic. “And there are certainly a lot of democrats that right now are in “panic” mode. Carville lives down her in Cajun country, and we often take with a grain of salt his “idiosyncratic” remarks. His latest local observation on the intelligence of his fellow Louisianans is that “Half the folks in Tiger stadium on a Saturday night can’t even spell LSU.” But as far as the national democrats, they have good reason to “panic” and James is right on the mark. We are pictured above visiting at a recent Baton Rouge fund raising event. And you can listen to Carville’s “panic” comments below.
We will be broadcasting live this Sunday morning from Clear Channel Studios in St. Louis, Missouri. Balmy weather in the 60s is predicted so I’m looking forward to attending my Ladue High School class reunion, then airing our show. I believe one of my classmates works for the Justice Department, so I’ll be looking forward to asking him about Justice Department’s $16 muffins they have ordered at recent conferences. Now, the $16 muffins are causing, well, heartburn. As well they should. My listeners will certainly be steamed over a Justice Department inspector general audit that found apparently “extravagant and potentially wasteful” expenses at conferences, including $16 muffins and coffee and tea that cost as much as $8 per 8-ounce cup. The Justice Department appears to be blind to the economic realities our country is facing, and we will take about this and other extravagant waste taking place in the justice department on our show.
And what a better time to talk about the death penalty.  Georgia Inmate Troy Davis was put to death this week, even though 7seven of the witnesses against him retracted their testimony. Professor Brandon Garrett will join us to discuss his new bestselling book, “Convicting the Innocent.” How can we stop sending innocent people to our prisons? As you turn the pages of this important and startling book, you will come to realize that wrongful convictions are not accidents. They are the tragic result of a criminal justice system in deep need of reform. You can find out more of Prof. Garrett’s book by Clicking Here.
Following all the focus on 9/ll I’ll be joined on the show by Thom Shanker, to discuss his new book, “Counterstrike.“Â Â It lays bare the provocative new ideas that are driving the war on terrorism. Generals often talk about changing the hearts and minds of people in faraway lands, but Eric Schmitt and Thom Shanker reveal the importance of changing the hearts and minds of America’s defense strategists. This is a groundbreaking intellectual history that is also a great read. You can get more information about the book by Clicking Here.
All this and a lot more on the Common Sense radio show this weekend. We will see you on the radio!
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Last week, I reviewed a number of personal experiences that happened on and just after 9/11. The world around us has changed dramatically in the past 10 years. When the 9/11 attacks blindsided America, two billion people “” one third of the world’s population “”  were glued to television and computer screens, watching the attacks unfold. There was no Twitter, Facebook, or YouTube to update the tragic events of that historic day. Since then, the country has modified how it communicates. But is America’s world view any different? Are we better prepared for future terrorist attacks, and if so, at what price?  How much are we willing to compromise our civil liberties for greater security? We talked about these issues on my radio show this week, and “lessons learned and not learned” is the focus of this week’s column. You can read it now by Clicking Here, or by going to the flashing red box above.
Below, I’m talking with Ahmed Chalabi, who’s rhetoric our military leadership too quickly embraced , and who was then the leader of the Iraqi National Congress and former Deputy Prime Minister of Iraq. Chalabi was a real charlatan in convincing the U.S. that they had a winning strategy and should play ball with him. I quickly found him to be a charmer and quite convincing. But he led the U.S. down a primrose path that now seems to have no end in sight.
It was quite a homecoming last weekend in my old neck of the woods, up in Concordia Parish, just across the river from Natchez, Mississippi. My longtime friend, Mayor Hyram Copeland called to ask me to joining a cross section of Louisiana politicos for a Mickey Gilley concert. It was a fund raiser for the Delta Music Museum in my old hometown of Ferriday. I dedicated this wonderful museum that gives tribute to outstanding Louisiana musicians, and Mickey Gilley is certainly one of them. He was the country singer of the year and has had 33 No. 1 singles on the country charts. Mickey has played at several fundraisers for me over the years, and he now has his own music club in Branson, Missouri. Below are some of the trip’s highlights.
Mickey Gilley and I get caught up before his concert.
Louisiana’s popular and controversial former Governor Edwin Edwards captivated the crowd and sold a lot of books about his life. Below is a video of my interview with the Governor. I especially asked him how he stays in such good shape at 84.
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Below is a “rogue’s gallery of old friends and supporters of mine over the years from Northeast Louisiana. From left, Senator Francis Thompson, Ferriday Mayor Glen McGlothin, Concordia Parish Clerk of Court Clyde Webber, Vidalia Mayor Hyram Copeland, yours truly, and former State Representative Bryant Hammett.
  
I guess the old fashioned marriage proposal, yo u know….the guy getting down on one knee, asking for his special lady’s hand in marriage, is, well, passe’. Young folks today look to either make a statement, or bring a little humor into popping the question. How about hits guy? Take a look below and one way to ask the special request!
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By the way, I asked the question as to who has a creative way to pop the question, and here are just a few of the suggestions I received. I’m not sure I would try some of these suggestions, but take a look.
Take her/him to the theatre and ask the stage manager if he will ask her/him to marry you after the final curtain. This is the perfect ending to a perfect evening.
Turn up at her/his office in the middle of the afternoon armed with a red rose, a bottle of champagne and a glass with the ring in it.
Write ‘will you marry me’ — her/his name in chalk on the street outside your apartment in big enough letters so that she/he will notice it. Phone up your local radio station and get them to pop the question for you over the air waves at a time that you know she/he will be listening. Then dedicate a song to her/him.
Wrap a large box and fill with smaller boxes all wrapped the last box that she will come to will be the smallest with the ring inside. Or alternatively wrap a large box and fill with those tiny foam pieces and let her look for the small box inside.
Cut the bottom out of a very large box then wrap it. Take it to her place of work and ask one of her colleague’s to go get her telling her that there is a large parcel for her. Meanwhile you climb in from the bottom and when she unwraps it jump out with the ring in hand and ask her to make an honest man of you.
Take out a full page ad in a paper that you know your loved one reads regularly and be close by when he/she reads it.
If you’re dining in a fancy restaurant, ask the waiter/waitress to write, “Will you marry me?” in chocolate sauce around the rim of his/her dessert plate.
Take her/him up in a hot air balloon with a bottle of champagne and announce that’ll you’ll jump if she/he doesn’t marry you.
Plan a treasure hunt. Set the clues in place and when he/she gets to the last clue you will be standing there with champagne and a proposal they can’t refuse.
Hire a skywriter to spell your proposal on high.
Hire a plane to fly a banner with your “Marry me (insert name here)” message written on it. Take him/her somewhere open and point to the sky.
If you are brave enough get a tattoo done with “Will you marry me?” but only if you are sure that he/she is the right one and once he/she has accepted finish it off with the date of your engagement and marriage.
Take him to see his favorite football team playing and get the commentator to ask him to marry you.
International conflict and just taking good care of yourself nightlight this week’s “Common Sense” radio show over the genesis Communications network. Let me say how amazed and pleased we all are at the huge growth in listeners all over the world. Over 20% of our listeners over the internet tune in from outside the United States. 10% from China alone. So there is a thirst for information worldwide and we are certainly happy to have so many new radio fans join up from listening stains from far and wide.
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.
During our show’s second hour, we will look at American’s quagmire in Afghanistan and Iraq? It seemed easy to get in, but how do we wind this whole Middle East  mess down and how long will it take? Joshua Gleis has an important new book out called “Withdrawing Under fire.” He takes a look at lessons learned from Islamist insurgencies and we will certainly have a lively discussion. You can get more information about his book by Clicking here. All this and more on this weekend’s “Common Sense.” Be sure and tune in.
This Sunday’s date, 9/11, turned into the frantic dialing of 911 ten years ago. . A surreal feeling of shock and helplessness enveloped all Americans as we watched that day’s events unfold. In hindsight, we should ask many questions. Is America a safer place today? Maybe. But we also have witnessed a fundamental shift in our culture, where liberty and freedom have been compromised so that we supposedly feel “more safe.” In my new column, I look back at my own personal experience on the tragic day, and also take a look at the ramifications of how our lives have changed. You can read it now by Clicking Here, or by going to the flashing red box at the top of this site. Also, check the haunting and troubling video below about the futility of war.
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9/11 will obviously been the “˜Common Sense’ focus on this 10 year anniversary of this catastrophic tragedy that changed the focus of our American way of life. We will have guests that were in the World Trade Center and struggled for their lives. We will look back and listen to perspectives of the three groups that were caught up in the 9/ll horror-those who died, survivors, and first responders.
Nicole B. Simpson, CFP and a survivor herself, represents many of the 9/11 survivors. She spent almost three years talking to individuals who were directly impacted by the tragedy of 9/11/2001. In June, 2011, she released the survivor’s story titled 9/11/01 A Long Road Toward Recovery.  During the month of September a portion of the proceeds from books sales is being donated to Tuesdays Children and other organizations who work with struggling survivors. You can read more about the book by Clicking Here.
My long time friend and New York Attorney Kevin Salter will also join us and re-live his harrowing experience of standing outside the World trade Center as the buildings fell. He crawled for blocks through the smoke and soot barely being able to see. Kevin was the subject of a CBS Report to cover his gripping story. We are pictured below at the World Trade Center site.
 My 9-11: One Man’s Journey Through the Unexpected Events of September 11, 2001 is a 144-page hardback commemorative book recounting the World Trade Center tragedy through the eyes of a civilian first responder, a professional photographer who lived in lower Manhattan, a few blocks from the Twin Towers. This beautifully crafted volume presents 40 images, including never before published photos taken 20 minutes after One World Trade Center collapsed and selected artifacts preserved from Ground Zero. The book includes a vividly detailed 11,000-word narrative offering a glimpse of both the turmoil and heroism at Ground Zero immediately following the towers downfall. You can read more about the book and the dedicated organization helping so many first responders by going to their website by Clicking here.
A part of the MY 9-11 Project, here is a very moving song and video written and sung by Alicia Lemke who edited the 144-page commemorative book that is the flagship medium of the multimedia project. The song, entitled “Maiden Lane“ was inspired by the true story of the photographer and civilian first responder, Richard Agudelo, who rushed in to help as others were fleeing. Maiden Lane is the street he led some fellow volunteers down to get to his apartment so they could recoup.
You can listen and watch the video below.
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So join me this weekend on stations throughout the country, as well as a worldwide audience right here on this site. Merely hit the flashing blue box above. See you on the radio.
  
I’ve been a Gibson guitar fan as far back as I can remember when I first picked up my first stringed instrument. I paid my way through law school strummin’ a Gibson banjo, and have had several fine Gibson guitars over the years. So you can imagine my surprise when I heard about the recent raid on the Gibson factory. Paul Craig Roberts a, former associate editor of the Wall Street Journal, has been reporting shocking cases of prosecutorial abuse for two decades. He outlines well the picayunish abuse by the feds in harassing the Gibson Company. Roberts asked what law did Gibson Guitar Corp break that caused federal agents to disrupt Gibson’s plants in Nashville and Memphis, seize guitars, cause layoffs, and cost the company $3 million from disrupted operations?
No US law was broken. The feds claim that Gibson broke a law that is on the books in India. India has not complained about Gibson or asked for the aid of the US government in enforcing its laws against Gibson. Instead, the feds have taken it upon themselves to both interpret and to enforce on US citizens the laws of India. The feds claim that Gibson’s use of wood from India in its guitars is illegal, because the wood was not finished by Indian workers.
This must not be India’s interpretation of the law as India allowed the unfinished wood to be exported. Perhaps the feds are trying to force more layoffs of US workers and their replacement by H-1B foreign workers. Gibson can solve its problem by firing its Tennessee work force and hiring Indian citizens on H-1B work visas. Typical overkill on the part of the justice department and the FBI.
   
What a game at Cowboy Stadium in Dallas last weekend. If you are not from down here in Louisiana, you really cannot understand the magic of being in Tiger Stadium on a Saturday night. But I have to say, the magnificent stadium in Dallas is a step above anything in the country. It’s not just the huge, 50 yard long TV monitor, but all the glass that surrounds the stadium and gives one the feeling of being outdoors with so much sun light beaming in. The food choices are unrivaled, the ushers and security are extremely professional, and the stadium is just in a class all to itself. Of course, the highlight was the LSU victory over number thee ranked Oregon, that propelled LSU to number two in the nation in this week’s new college football poll. Below are several videos inside Cowboy Stadium, to give you a feel of the experience.
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DON’T MESS
WITH MY SUMMER VACATION
Many naysayers have predicted that the family summer vacation, a venerable American tradition for over a century, has now passed away quietly after a lengthy illness. Supposedly, the final coup de grace was the recent rise in gas prices. But I say they protest a bit too much. I’ve taken a vacation a few weeks during the summer as far back as I can remember. Now I know the family dinner hour has gone by the wayside with an onslaught of television, cell phones, and way too many over-booked extracurricular activities. But I’m staying sanguine about the future of American mobility, and I’m back on the open road again. You can read my new column on the importance of just “getting away,’ now posted by Clicking Here or by going to the flashing red box at the top of this page.
The “Common Sense” radio show this weekend has a full array of guests. We will be broadcasting live from Dallas, Texas on Clear Channel’s all talk station, KFXR There will also be continuing analysis of jut what effect the recent hurricane will have on insurance rates nationwide.  Your rates are bound to go up. so what can you do about it?  Then, I’ll have author “˜Steven Rosenbaum, who, in his new book  Curation Nation, “curates the curators” by gathering together  insight and advice from the top thinkers in media, advertising, publishing, commerce, and Web technologies. Full information about his book can be found byClicking Here.
Ken Kamen also joins me to talk personal finance. He zeroes in on the philosophy of investments, advising readers how best to maintain a strong financial position, especially given the latest run of economic jitters. And he does so by leveling the knowledge of investments, scrutinizing the past, and scouring the present for lessons to be learned.  His new book, Reclaim Your Nest Egg, is available by Clicking Here.
And finally, with Monica Lewinsky back in the news, I’ll talk with Ken Gormley who teaches law at Duquesne University. In 1999, the shocking revelation of President Clinton’s affair with a White House intern captivated the nation and nearly sank his career as well as that of prosecutor Ken Starr. Professor Gormley has new insights that have never been reported in his new book, The Death of American Virtue. More information is found by Clicking Here.
A really full and informative show is scheduled this Sunday, from 9:00 am central time until 11:00 am, on the Genesis Communications Network. You can also listen on the world wide web by accessing my radio program at the top of this site.
Former Vice President Dick Cheney’s autobiography, “In My Time: A Personal and Political Memoir,” is not on sale and he continues to defend the Bush Administration’s decision to invade Iraq because of the presence of weapons of mass destruction. You will recall that Ambassador Joe Wilson contradicted the V.P in a New York Times op ed piece. Shortly thereafter, Wilson’s wife, Valerie Plame Wilson was outed as a CIA agent. Both Wilsons claim it was as vendetta and that Cheney lied about what actually happened. A major motion picture (“Fair Game”) was made about the story and Valerie was played in the film by actress Naomi Watts. Here is my interview with Valerie Wilson recently in New Orleans.
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I’ve written before about one of the most unique music venues in America, The Red Dragon Listening Room. And that’s exactly what the place is. No drinks or food. Nothing for sale. Just listening to some first rate musical groups. I’m a regular, and owner Chris Maxwell knows to hold me a sea up front. I was in that number this past Friday night to hear Keith Sykes and Sara Jean Kelley. Singer/songwriter Keith Sykes first surfaced in 1969 with a self-titled LP on Vanguard, followed a year later by 1 2 3; out of the limelight throughout much of the early 1970s, he resurfaced later in the decade playing guitar in Jimmy Buffett’s touring band. He is a prolific song writer based out of Nashville. Also on the program was   Nashville born singer and songwriter Sara Jean Kelley, who delivers a mixture of traditional country, bluegrass and blues with modern Americana; sultry vocals, and haunting lyrics all played on a classic 1969 Gibson B25. You can view both performers below.
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Well normally, this is the slow month of August, with hot summer days, and not really all that much news. Not this year. We have followed international confrontations that will leave an unstable Middle Ease for years to come, and a national recession that has been a financial calamity for millions of Americans. And now, some Lady called Irene.  We know something about preparing for hurricanes if you live down in my part of the country. But this is a whole new world for millions of Americans up and down the east coast. I’ll have a number of personal stories and insights plus the latest information at the top of our show this weekend.
     
And how controversial can we get? Well, how about public executions? That’s what a team of criminal professors are advocating in a recent New York Times column. I’ll have as a guest Professor Zachary Shemtob to talk about his avocation of a return to public executions as a deterrent for violent crime. What do you think? Tune in for the conversation.
    
And it’s time again to talk about this atrocious law called the Patriot Act, and all the damage it has done to our democratic system of government. A pox on all those congressman and senators who voted to strip you of many of your constitutional rights.  Author and columnist Jay Feldman will discuss his provocative new book about how our notions of democracy, freedom, and tolerance are threatened during political, social, and economic crises. It’s called MANUFACTURING HYSTERIA: A History of Scapegoating, Surveillance, and Secrecy in Modern America, and you can find out lots more and order the book by Clicking Here.
   
Finally, we will be joined by national bestselling author Ellen Lubin-Sherman, who has some insights for working men and women alike in her new book “The Essentials of Fabulous: Because Whatever Doesn’t Work Here Anymore.” You can read all about it by Clicking Here. So a lively show that we hope you won’t want to miss. You can hear the “Common Sense program on stations nationwide, or live right here on this site by clicking the blue box at the top of the page. Hey, we will see you on the radio.
How much more bleak can the mood of the country get? Several new polls out this week show that only 15% of likely voters in next year’s presidential election say the U.S. is heading in the right direction.  Enter Texas Gov. Rick Perry, the new flavor of the month, and our neighbor next to my home state of Louisiana.  Perry is the perfect fit for the Texas cowboy gunslinger who “shoots first” and delves into the details later. So is Perry for real or just another blow hard gun totin’ Texas that ends up being all hat and no cattle? Take a look at this week’s column that raises some troubling questions about ole’ Ranger Rick. You can read it now by Clicking Here, or by hitting the flashing red box at the top of this page.
I have written before about the great music stop in Baton Rouge called the Red Dragon Listening Room, located in the heart of the city. No alcohol unless you bring your own. Owner Chris Maxwell (pictured above with Terri Hendrix and me) makes nothing off the concert as all the proceeds go to the musicians who travel far and wide to come to Baton Rouge. It’s just a “labor of love” for Chris, and there is generally a concert every weekend. Last Saturday night was a special treat with Austin singer and song writer Terri Hendrix taking the mike. Accompanying her was legendary Texas guitarist Lloyd Maines, who is the father of Dixie Chicks lead singer Natalie Maines. You will enjoy Terri and Lloyd below. We all had a long visit before and after the concert, and I look forward to their coming back to perform again soon. You parents, take a listen particularly to Terri’s song, “If I Had a Daughter.”
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Just because it’s August and often up to 100 degrees in many parts of the country doesn’t mean there is not a whole lot going on to talk about on the radio.  The political climate is dysfunctional, and daily “goofy” comments take place by both parties. Is there anyone running for president that has a lick of “Common Sense?”  Just who is this guy Rick Perry, and does he have way too much Texas swagger to be President? Did you know he was Al Gore’s Texas campaign manager when Gore ran for President back in 1988? He sure can change is stripes. Are we ready for another cowboy President? We will talk about it.
It seems like every time you pick up the paper, there is another scandal involving the Catholic Church. New Orleans author Jason Berry was a major figure in breaking the pedophile priests scandal throughout the church and has ever produced a film abut this tragedy. Now he has a new book out called “Render unto Rome-The Secret Life of Money in the Catholic Church.” Jason will join us in this weekend’s show as part of our second hour. You can find out more concerning his new book by Clicking Here.
We also seem to read daily about another innocent victim incarcerated for a crime they didn’t commit. I am gathering a wide list of such injustices for a possible new book, and the list is growing rapidly. Gov. Rick Perry, by the way, has some answering to do over his failure to investigate a horrendous miscarriage of justice in Texas involving Cameron Todd Willingham who was executed, and who many reliable investigators now say it was obvious he was innocent. Author Laura Caldwell has a new book out called “Claim of Innocence.” It too profiles a woman falsely accused of poisoning her best friend. It’s a major best seller and you can find out more about this chilling novel by Clicking Here.
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Also, my ole buddy and home improvement guru Michael King, the Cajun Contactor, will give us an update on protecting your home in case you have a major insurance claim. All this and much more to be covered in this week’s “Common Sense” radio program. I sure hope you will tune in on a flock of stations that carry or show nationwide, or right here on this website by Clicking on the blue box at the top of this page. We will see you on the radio.
Are you a NASCAR fan? There sure are a great number of die hards down in my part of the country. Now some will say that NASCAR fans are rednecks, who have nothing better to do than watch a bunch of cars go in circles. But those that feel that way are missing a whole culture of fans that have made this racing a way of life. I know many folks down my way who go to the races, camp out the entire week or weekend, bring about 10 cases of beer, cookout, party and have fun with other fans, stay up all night, enjoy the smell of gasoline and rubber, and feel that the hair on the back of their necks stand up when they fire up the engines and when they turn them loose at the wave of the green flag. They pay good money for a seat in the stands that many never use because they stand the entire race, screaming and hollering GOOOOO  to their favorite driver. And of course, all races begin with a prayer. And generally not just the average prayer. Take a look below at a recent pre- race prayer below.
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With all the bad economic news abounding worldwide, at least we can look to the fall sporting events of football and basketball to divert our attention from so much world confrontation. And it’s particularly nice to see healthy competition between the U.S. and China, since China holds so much of the American debt. How about a friendly game of basketball, especially since Vice President Joe Biden was in China at the time? Take a look at how well the game went below.
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Fifty years ago his weekend, the Berlin Wall was erected by the puppet soviet state of East Germany. Unless you are over sixty five or are a history buff, you may not understand the tensions that existed then that had many observers feel we could be on the brink of war with the Soviet Union. I lived through this troubling time as a student at Cambridge University in England, and remember well crossing over the Berlin Wall that was built by the East Germans 50 years ago this weekend. Check out my new column that will take you back with me to 1961. You can read the column by Clicking Here or by going to the flashing red box above.
Also below are two videos of Presidents Kennedy and Reagan at the Berlin Wall. Kennedy calls for freedom and Reagan demands that the wall come down.
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After a long but quick trip throughout much of the Southeastern United States, my “Common Sense“ radio show is back home in Baton Rouge this weekend on our home station, Clear Channel’s WJBO, that’s 1150 AM. We made radio stops in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, Atlanta, Georgia, and Boone, North Carolina. And after a few week break t home, our show will be back on the road again soon. Hey, my thanks to Chris East and all the folks at 640 AM WGST -The Talk of Atlanta. We had a great reception with these folks during our sow last weekend from their studios, which, of course are located on Peachtree Road. Seems like every street in Atlanta has a form of Peachtree in its name. I’m pictured with Chris below.
This week, we will take a look at the booming Texas economy, that possible presidential contender Gov. Rick Perry says is the shining example to the rest of the country. But just why is the economy there booming? Does it have anything to do with drug money? University of Texas criminal justice professor Michael Lauderdale said drug money from Mexico is a major part of the growing Texas economy in a Time Magazine feature last week. And he will be on my show this weekend in the first hour to tell us just why. Youcan find more about Prof. Lauderdale and his recent book on Texas by Clicking Here.
Also joining us will be author Stephen Glain, who raises important questions about America’s spending priorities and how far should we go in building up a continuing world presence with our military. An interesting account of how sixty years of American militarism created the Cold War, fanned decades of what Glain says is unnecessary conflict, helped to fuel Islamist terror, and threatens to bankrupt the country. In eye-opening fashion, State vs. Defense shows how America truly operates as a superpower and explores the constant tension between the diplomats at State and the warriors at Defense. He will join us in the second hour of the show, and you can find out more about this book by Clicking Here.
We will also get an update on America’s troubled economy, and what could happen to Medicare and social security coverage. Plus, can you believe that football is getting popular in India? These Asians just won’t let us be, will they? All this and more on the “Common Sense“ show this weekend, so be sure and tune in.
    
The Masters is certainly America’s most prestigious golfing event, and one of the great golfers most associated with this world famous tournaments is two time winner Ben Crenshaw. The Masters is where Crenshaw tied for 19th place as a first-time amateur in 1972. It’s where he holed that impossibly sinister 60-footer for birdie at No. 10 in 1984 and won by two over Tom Watson. It’s where he beat Davis Love III by a shot in 1995 the week he and Tom Kite flew home before the tournament to carry legendary golf coach Harvey Penick’s casket to its gravesite at Memorial Park. I’ve followed the Masters Tourney for years, so what a treat it was this week to have lunch with Ben up at Grandfather Mountain Country Club in Linville North Carolina. He later passed me on the driving range and I hollered a challenge for him to take me on. He said he had watched me hit a few and thought he would pass on my offer. So was this a compliment or a nice way to say I wasn’t up to the challenge? In any event, the Austin, Texas native is as class guy.Â
Well as Willie Nelson sings, It’s on the Road Again for the “Common Sense“ show and we will be making a number of stops. This weekend, I’ll be broadcasting live from Atlanta’s largest talk station, Clear Channel’s WGST-640 Am located in the heart of downtown Atlanta. (Of curse the station is on Peachtree Road). And we really have a jam packed and interesting show planned for you listeners. Then we head up into the Blue Ridge mountains for some cool weather, and a radio visit at Appalachian State University in Boone, North Carolina, where the show will be broadcast live on August 14th. Hey, who knows where we will go from there.
With the debt limit crisis temporarily averted, a lot of questions are being asked about the financial stability of social security. Noted economist and author Allen Smith, Ph.D. has been writing about Social Security for more than a decade. He will be my guest  to talk about the “Great Social Security Theft” our government doesn’t want you to know about. He’ll reveal insidious ways Social Security has been mishandled and plundered”“ and why your future has been put in jeopardy. He is the author of seven books including “The Looting of Social Security.” You can find out more by Clicking Here.
In addition, with all the flooding along the Mighty Mississippi, a timely book is Lee Sanlin’s new best seller, Wicked River, all about how the Mississippi River initially ran wild.  This mighty river, that runs right through middle America, and past several of my hometowns, has been the key economic transportation engine over the past 250 years of America’s history. Lots of information on this fascinating book by Clicking Here.
And if you like good mysteries, New York Times best selling author Andrew Gross has a new one out that will grip you with suspense. it’s called Eyes Wide Shut, and Andrew will visit the show to talk about his new chiller. You can get more information on this novel by Clicking here. So plenty to talk about this weekend. I hope you can join our show.
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So what do you think? Is former Louisiana Governor Edwin Edwards irrelevant? He has not been in office since 1995″¦.that’s 16 years, and we all know he had to take an eight and a half year “vacation” until just recently. So many assume he just would fade of into the sunset and never be heard from again. In fact, several New Orleans political pundits wrote that he is no longer of any consequence on the state and national scene. Well they apparently have not tuned into the wave of attention showered on the former governor in recent weeks.
His biography, Edwin Edwards-Governor of Louisiana, has become the largest selling book by a Louisiana author in the state’s history. My friend and colleague Leo Honeycutt has received a number of honors for authoring the Edwards book. Noted Louisiana author and playwright Gus Weill said in a radio interview this week that the Edwards biography and the man himself is more significant that T. harry Williams’ biography of Huey Long. And just last weekend, you would have thought there was a world movie premier at the Monteleone Hotel in the French Quarter of New Orleans, as over 1000 people packed the hotel for an Edwin Edwards Roast, or just to mill around and be part of all the excitement. Many national papers were there to cover the Governor’s comments including the New York Times. Of course at 84 years old, he has no intention of running for office again. But irrelevant? Most politicians would love to have the attention being received by Louisiana’s Cajun Prince. Edwin Edwards is far from being irrelevant.
Eye eeeee. The Louisiana man, Doug Kershaw, came home last week. Doug started out as a South Louisiana Zydeco singer, and became the Cajun voice to Cajun music lovers all over the world. I’ve heard Doug perform many times, and we have become good friends over the years. He and I had a rollicking good time roasting former Louisiana Governor Edwin Edwards last weekend at the Monteleone Hotel in the New Orleans French Quarter. We swapped stories for hours, but you just can’t one up ole’ Doug. Below are several of my favorite Doug Kershaw songs.
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George Rodrigue has been a Louisiana institution for many years. I knew George when he began painting south Louisiana pastorals back in the 1970s. Then one day, on a whim, he painted his dog that had stayed by his sid3e in his studio for many years, but had recently passed away. For some reason, he painted the dog blue. And now, the Blue Dog is recognized worldwide and George’s paintings often command a six figure amount. George and I had dinner together with a number of old Louisiana friends down in the French Quarter in New Orleans last weekend. His is as energetic and vibrant as ever. And of course, the talk was about many more Blue dogs to come. Take a look below.
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ON THE RADIO!
I’ll be taking the “˜Common Sense“ radio show on the road in the next few weeks, visiting some of our network stations, and enjoying an extended summer vacation as I travel. A good chance to also renew old friendships and visit far off family members. It’s New Orleans this weekend for a round of activities. I’ll be joining a number of Louisiana politicos in roasting former Louisiana Governor Edwin Edwards at the famous Monteleone Hotel in the French Quarter Saturday night. Then live from Clear Channel’s WRNO in the Crescent City, the “Common Sense“ show will air at its usual time from 9:00 am until 10:00 am central time. The following weekend, August 7th, we will be live from Appalachian State University in Boone, North Carolina.
If you were not able to catch last weekend’s show, you missed a first rate discussion of why so many people are drifting away from the more traditional denominational religions, and finding other ways to explore their religious beliefs. Author Tim O’Donnell was my interesting guest. Since the time Tim says he was a nuisance to the nuns, he has been asking questions about religion and Catholicism. After sixteen years of formal Catholic education followed by a successful business career, at age forty he sold his companies, built a log home in the woods and resumed his inquiry into the religion of his birth. Being a former daily newspaper publisher, O’Donnell unabashedly and unflinchingly dove headfirst into the taboo questions of Christianity, not as a theologian but as an investigative reporter. His bold probe has generated a straightforward and at times controversial exploration into questions many Christians carry from Catechism into adulthood. You might want to take a look at the video of Tim’s thoughts below. And you will find his website full of information on his concepts and his new book by Clicking Here.
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And get ready for this week’s lively program. Since the country seems to be on the brink of a financial meltdown, we will take a look at how this national financial disaster began. I have written repeatedly how the financial and insurance regulators dropped the ball causing the recent financial crisis. New York Times writer Joshua Rosner has a new book out, Reckless Endangerment, that agrees. We will try to figure out just what went wrong and where the blame should lie. You can get full information about Rosner’s book by Clicking Here.
f you read this column regularly, you know what a big country music fan I am. “Chicken Soup for the Soul: Country Music” is an inspirational collection of more than 100 of your favorite country songs. Author Randy Rudder will join me in discussing his new book. While many fans may focus on the artist singing the song, I think the meat and potatoes to any successful tune is the songwriter behind that creation. In this book, the story comes straight from the songwriter’s mouth in enjoyable bites of information. We hear from Jimmy Webb who talks about the Glen Campbell hits, “Wichita Lineman” and “By the Time I Get to Phoenix,” Tom T. Hall dishes about his musings for “Harper Valley P.T.A.,” Bobby Braddock reveals the history behind Tammy Wynette’s “D-I-V-O-R-C-E” and Alex Harvey tells about the person in his life who inspired “Delta Dawn.” You can read all about this fun book by Clicking Here.
So our program is jammed packed this weekend from New Orleans. Be sure and tune in.
Many naysayers have predicted that the family summer vacation, a venerable American tradition for over a century, has now passed away quietly after a lengthy illness. Supposedly, the final coup de grace was the recent rise in gas prices. But I say they protest a bit too much. I’ve taken a vacation a few weeks during the summer as far back as I can remember, so I’m back on the open road again. I’ll be on the East Coast in both New York and North Carolina in the weeks to come. Oh, I’ll do some posting here from time to time. But generally taking a break for a regular weekly column for the summer. You can read my thoughts on the importance of summer holidays and all my meanderings by checking here on this site. Hope you too are enjoying your summer and are able to get away and take a vacation.
Hey, we want to welcome new station KQEW 102.3fm, an FM signal that is heard all over south Arkansas and located in Fordyce, AR. They are the latest in a growing number of radio stations that carry the “Common Sense” program each weekend.
A biomedical gerontologist in England is predicting that humans will soon live to be 150 years old, and within 20 years, people could live to be 1,000 years old. He says the key to this will be regular maintenance of the aging process to minimize the cellular damage that occurs over time. While this prediction has many excited, holistic physician Dr. Mark William Cochran points out that we haven’t made a toaster that can last 150 years, much less 1,000 years. So how can we realistically expect such amazing results with something as complex as the human body? Dr. Cochran days it will be lifestyle changes that will create more centenarians worldwide. He is the author of the award-winning book “Oby’s Wisdom! A Caveman’s Simple Guide to Health and Well-Being.” Dr. Cochran will join us at the top of the hour this weekend. You can find out more of his book by Clicking Here.
And have you followed the case of Notorious Boston Mob kingpin James (Whitey) Bulger, who was finally busted, ending a 16-year manhunt that was a major black-eye for the FBI. He hid out down here in my home state of Louisiana for several years, then was finally nabbed in Los Angeles, where he was living in Santa Monica with long-time girlfriend Catherine Greig. He seemed to be the last of the larger-than-life gangsters, and he had risen to No. 1 on the FBI’s Most Wanted List after Osama Bin Laden was killed last month. Bulger had a $2 million bounty on his head. So why did it take so long to find him since he was living right out in the open? We will talk to columnist Tom Eddlem to give us the “real scoop” on whether or not Bugler was being protected. You can read his blog by Clicking Here.
One of my summer reads was Eyes Wide Open, a real menacing psychological thriller by New York Times bestselling author Andrew Gross. You will think or cult killer Charles Manson when you read this compelling story. Andrew will join us in our second hour this weekend. You can find out more of his book by Clicking Here.
All in all, a jammed packed program. So we hope you can tune in by checking our local listings or by Clicking on the blue flashing box above. We will see you on the radio.
We are really fortunate in my home town of Baton Rouge to have a “Music Room.” Local businessman Chris Maxwell has created a place where song writers and solo musicians can come and perform. Chris serves no food or beverages. It’s just a place to listen to good music. You are welcome to bring your own cooler, and Chris generally stirs up some bits to eat. You generally pay $20.00 at the door, and all the proceeds go to the performer. To find out more about the Red Dragon if you are in the area, you can check out the Facebook page by entering Red Dragon Listening Room, or by Clicking Here.
I listened to Oklahoma singer and songwriter Greg Jacobs perform last weekend. He’s written some great songs, and still has a strong voice after many years on the road. The show opened with the melodic voice of Emily Branton. She’s a local Louisiana gal from St. Francisville right up the road from Baton Rouge. You can listen to both of these talented singers below.
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RUSH TO JUDGMENT IN THEÂ ANTHONY AND STRAUSS-KAHN CASES?
The press told us that both high profile cases were slam dunks for the prosecutors. Casey Anthony and Dominique Strauss-Kahn There was no doubt in the press and by the prosecutors. Both were guilty. Or so we were told. From the beginning, both cases were played out in a soap opera bubble that was surrounded in a circus like atmosphere. Cable TV and talk radio served up a daily dose of inflamed rhetoric that convicted both of the accused in the media from day one.  But what happened in both cases? My new column takes a look at a few of what we think to be basic American judicial premises. Reasonable doubt, a jury not swayed by public opinion, fair decisions by judges. You can read my new column on these high profile, mesmerizing case by Clicking Here, or by Clicking on the flashing red box above. And needless to say, CNN s Nancy Grace was not at all pleased with the Anthony verdict. To get her reaction, watch below.
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The Baton Rouge Business Report in its current issue published a lengthy story about Jim’s views on the current insurance crisis all along the Gulf Coast. His opinions apply coast to coast as the whole country faces higher property insurance rates. You can read this informative article now by Clicking Here.
Jim Brown’s “Common Sense” nationally syndicated radio program will be back in Baton Rouge this week, broadcasting from our flagship station, Clear Channel’s WJBO. One more week at home, then our show is back on the road broadcasting from New York City, Asheville, North Carolina, and Mt. Helens, Oregon, all in the weeks to come. We again want to welcome new stations WVNJ 1160 AM in New York City and Teaneck, New Jersey. New Orleans station KAGY 1510 AM, WABL 1570 Am in Hammond, Louisiana as well as KMRC 1430 AM in Morgan City, the heart of South Louisiana.
Casey Anthony and Dominique Strauss-Kahn. Have they received justice or are they getting away with their accused crimes? We will talk about it this weekend, and take your calls and comments. Check out this week’s column by Jim, then join us for what certainly will be a lively conversation.
Several authors will join us this weekend. Joseph Michelli, author of The Starbucks Experience and The New Gold Standard, is among the world’s top authorities on the principles of creating an organizational culture dedicated to service excellence. Michelli turns his attention to one of the most complex, controversial, and critical industries””healthcare. In Prescription for Excellence, Michelli provides an inside look at UCLA Health System, an organization that has become the envy of its industry””and explains how you can dominate your own industry by using the same approach. You can read more about the book by Clicking Here.
In addition, with all the flooding along the Mighty Mississippi, a timely book is Lee Sanlin’s new best seller, Wicked River, all about how the Mississippi River initially ran wild. Lots of information on this fascinating book by Clicking Here. This and much more to update listeners on this weekend on Jim Brown’s “Common Sense.”
When the GOP converged on New Orleans last month, I ran into Mark Halperin, editor-at-large and senior political analyst for TIME Magazine. I had read his book Game Change, which thoroughly covered the 2008 presidential election from beginning to end. He struck me as rather laid back, and I was surprised at his recent comment about the President? “You called Obama what?” Take a look at his comments that started quite a controversy, and the follow up by Jon Stewart is priceless. Should Halperin have been suspended from NBC? Take a look and see what you think.
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| The Daily Show With Jon Stewart | Mon – Thurs 11p / 10c | |||
| Mark Halperin Calls Obama a Dick | ||||
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As many of you know, New Orleans has been my home off and on for almost 50 years. I received my law degree from Tulane University, worked my way through law school by coaching little league and playing my banjo on Bourbon Street, began my law practice in the Big Easy, and for years hosted a daily three hour radio show in the Crescent City on Clear Channel’s WRNO. I’m a regular at Mardi Gras, Saints and Hornets games, Jazz Fest and I get a fix at Galitoire’s at least once a month. The HBO series Treme gives a whole different side of the city and you never stop making more cultural discoveries. My longtime friend and musician Vince Vance offers a fitting tribute to what’s special about New Orleans. It’s worth a view below.
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THE 4TH OF JULY-FREEDOM NOT HOT DOGS!
Independence Day to most Americans means a three day weekend with gatherings of family and friends, barbecues, parties, games, food, parades, baseball games and fireworks. Traditionally, most of us know that July 4th is the recognition and celebration of our country’s independence from an oppressive government. But this mid summer special day is really only about one thing. Freedom. And way too often, our freedom is being compromised and challenged, not by some foreign power, but from within by our own political leaders. Take a look at my new column on the real meaning of Independence Day. You can read it now by Clicking Here, or by Clicking on the Flashing Red Box at the top of this site. My friend, Judge Anthony Napolitano has a few thoughts on freedom and the government below. And check out Richie Havens’ classic from Woodstock on Freedom. Plus, anything patriotic has to include Clint Eastwood-right?
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The Common sense radio show starts out in the month of July with an independence weekend bang, and several new stations joining our network. New additions to the show include:
WVNJ 1160 AM in New York City and Teaneck, New Jersey. This is a large market station that has listeners throughout northern New Jersey and throughout New York City.
And how about a surge in Louisiana stations? New Orleans station KAGY 1510 AM, one of the Crescent City’s great music stations will go all talk when the Jim Brown “Common Sense” show hits the airwaves. We are proud to also go live with sister stations WABL 1570 Am in Hammond, Louisiana as well as KMRC 1430 AM in Morgan City, the heart of South Louisiana. We welcome these new stations that now are a part of one of the country’s fastest growing talk radio networks. Our show is heard coast to coast on Sunday mornings, and we hope you will tune in.
The U.S. Supreme Court came down with a chilling decision this week banning states from stopping young kids from watching violet and sexually expressive video games. So much for states rights.  It’s open season on mass torture, mayhem and gross violence for your kids to enjoy. So guess who will join me on my show? Leading sex expert, clinical psychologist, lawyer and former Playboy Playmate Dr. Victoria Zdrok Wilson, author of a new book called, “The 30-Day Sex Solution,” and she will talk about our country’s puritanical sexual attitudes in American life which Dr. Zdrok says have long been “pro-violent and anti-sex. So what is the law and the effects on minors of violent sexual behavior on video games as well as the mass violence that takes place in many of these games? We will find out on Sunday. And you can find out all about Dr. Wilson’s new book by Clicking Here.
And we will take a gander at a hot new bestselling novel called The Faculty Club, by author Danny Tobey who will join me on the show. Full information about the new novel can be found by Clicking Here. This and much more all this weekend on Jim brown’s Common Sense.
The 4th of July means family, friends, outdoors and a good mid- summer holidays. But it’s a so a special day to remember the freedoms that we fight to protect in this county. Too often, our freedoms are under attack, not from abroad, but from politicians right here at home. And like several other holidays, it’s also a time to pause for a moment to remember and give thanks to those special and brave men and women who serve in the military to protect our freedoms. Below are two of my special videos that express both of these continuing concerns.
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As of this writing, my two favorite female tennis stars are soon to face each other in the Wimbledon semi finals. I’ve had the chance to see tennis at Wimbledon for many years, going back to my days in school at Cambridge University. I used to run track meets at Wimbledon back in the 60s. Now it’s THE place for tennis, and I wish I could be there now to cheer on my two favorites. I followed both Russian American Maria Sharapova and Sabine Lasicki, who is from Germany, during my spring training trips to Tampa over the past several years. Sharapova is the flashy glamor star of tennis, and Lasicki is the teenage newcomer. Now they face off in a match I look forward to seeing. I’ve followed and visited with them both, so I’m torn as to who to root for.
Maria Sharapova, the Wimbledon favorite, in action above and getting a few pointers (Yeah! right!) from yours truly below.
I’ll be watching Sabine Lasicki work out for years to come since she is so young, as I did this past March in Florida.
THE GOP DOG AND PONY SHOW
COMES TO NEW ORLEANS!
The circus comes to town quite often in New Orleans. It’s always Mardi Gras, Jazz Fest, frolicking in the French Quarter, and weekly festivals where zany antics take place, few restrictions apply, and the good times continue to roll. So it was no surprise that republicans gathered in New Orleans last week to assess their chances in 2012. Sizing up the field of presidential wannabes that showed up, there were no real standouts. National polls indicate that half the republican voters nationally are still hoping a better candidate emerges. But don’t bet on it. It was tea party tough talk as the eight announced candidates engaged in one-upsmanship in seeing who could be the bigger critic of the President, and who could offer the biggest slice of rhetorical red meat to the party’s base. I was there and wrote my column this week about the big sow. You can read it now by Clicking Here or by Clicking on the blinking red box at the top of this site. You can see my summery of the convention below.
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Visiting with Republican Presidential Candidate and former Senator Rick Santorum from Pennsylvania.
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Former Louisian Governor Buddy Roemer gave one of the better speeches about the dangers of too much campaign money, but few took notice.
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In the video above, GOP convention chairman Charley Davis gives his view of the convention’s success in New Orleans.
Wow, do we have a fully packed radio program this weekend that you won’t want to miss. I’ll rehash the Republican circus that took place in New Orleans last weekend at the National Republican Leadership Conference. It was Snow white and the Seven Dwarfs all running for the presidential nomination with each candidate trying to out tea party the other. They got so riled up they threw a Barack Obama impersonator off the stage. I’ll give you the full details this Sunday morning.
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And how as bout pro football this fall-will we have it? These are interesting times for the National Football League. Immediately after producing the most watched television show in U.S. history, the focus has shifted towards the negotiations for a new collective bargaining agreement between the owners and the players. What’s it all about? I’ll have as my guest Tulane law professor Gabe Feldman to explain the whole conroversy.
I have written repeatedly how the financial and insurance regulators dropped the ball causing the recent financial crisis. New York Times writer Joshua Rosner has a new book out, Reckless Endangerment, that agrees. We will try to figure out just what went wrong and where the blame should lie. You can get full information about Rosner’s book by Clicking Here
If you read this column regularly, you know what a big country music fan I am. “Chicken Soup for the Soul: Country Music” is an inspirational collection of more than 100 of your favorite country songs. Author Randy Rudder will join me in discussing his new book. While many fans may focus on the artist singing the song, I think the meat and potatoes to any successful tune is the songwriter behind that creation. In this book, the story comes straight from the songwriter’s mouth in enjoyable bites of information. We hear from Jimmy Webb who talks about the Glen Campbell hits, “Wichita Lineman” and “By the Time I Get to Phoenix,” Tom T. Hall dishes about his musings for “Harper Valley P.T.A.,” Bobby Braddock reveals the history behind Tammy Wynette’s “D-I-V-O-R-C-E” and Alex Harvey tells about the person in his life who inspired “Delta Dawn.” You can read all about this fun book by Clicking Here.
So a full show on the radio this Sunday, June 26th live from 9:00 am until 11:00 am central time, on stations all over American and on this site. I hope you will give a listen.
ARE REPUBLICANS FLIP FLOPPERS ON
HEALTH INSURANCEÂ MANDATES?
Remember the old knock on presidential candidate John Kerry back in the 2004 election? “I was for it before I was against it.”  Today, about the single worst charge that can be make against any conservative republican presidential candidate is that they support requiring Americans to buy health insurance. But for decades, the Republican leadership in Washington embraced and championed individual mandates”¦well, that was before they “saw the light” and flip-flopped against such a requirement. As Ricky Ricardo used to say: “Lucy, you got some explainin’ to do.” Take a look at my evaluation of this difficult and controversial problem in this week’s column now posted. You can read it by Clicking on the RED Flashing Box at the top or by Clicking Here. And see video on this flip flopping below.
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The Presidential season seems to be approaching way too soon, with the first major Republican debate having taken place this past Monday evening. Did you watch it or even care? We wil talk a bit about winners and losers. Our friend Professor Gabe Feldman was sidetracked last week, so he will be with us again to talk about the potential NFL strike. Could there still could be a football strike this fall.? What’s all the disagreement about? We fans just want to watch football. And in today’s economic doldrums, how does a family pay the rising cost of the professional sporting events?
Summertime means getting into shape, and Joan Pagano will be my guest, and will tell us about her theory of a good workout in just 15 minutes a day. Her book, “15 minute abs workout, is a fast seller, and more information can be found by Clicking here.   James MacManus also will check in from England to share some stoiries from his engrossing book, The Language of the Sea. You will be surprised to learn what happens to an ordinary guy who slips out of his life and into legend. More information by Clicking Here.
Our list of staions that make up our syndicated network continues to grow, and we wil have a new annoucement next week about new members of the “Common Sense” network. Be sure and tune in.
It’s interesting what you can see on signs around your area, and a few of the conflicting surrounding messages. Take a look at a few of my favorites;
And my favorite below.
Cajun music is a way of life down here where I live in Louisiana, and this time of year means summer festivals, piles of crawfish, and Cajun music galore. Cajuns are the descendants of exiles from the French colony of ACADIA (present-day Nova Scotia and adjacent areas) who left their homeland in 1755 and found refuge in southern Louisiana a decade later. The French-speaking, Roman Catholic Cajuns, today estimated to number about 500,000, maintain many cultural and occupational traditions of their ancestors. Their speech is an archaic form of French into which are incorporated words taken from English, German, Spanish, and various Indian languages.
Below is a little Adam Sandler Cajun humor plus several of my favorite Cajun musicians. Take a listen.
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Below is the Cajun national anthem, Jole’ Blon, sung by three Cajun musical legends, Jimmy C Newman, Doug Kershaw, and Joel Sonnier.
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John Edwards is a sleazy guy who has betrayed his family, his friends and his supporters. He has certainly fallen from grace and will carry this albatross for the rest of his life. But is he a criminal under federal law and should he go to jail?   That’s the question that needs to be asked as the former presidential candidate faces the biggest challenge of his life. Some troubling questions have been raised in this case. Is any money given to a person who happens to be a candidate considered to be campaign money? Or is that a stretch and can there be abuse in such an interpretation by prosecutors? Take a look at my thoughts and see what you think? You can read my new column right now by Clicking on the red flashing box above or by Clicking Here.
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Normally, the summertime is a slow news time of year, and radio shows like mine often scramble to book interesting topics for our listeners. Not in today’s climate. From worldwide confrontation to presidential, congressional and state politics, there is plenty of “red meat” to discuss, analyze and pontificate over. This week is no exception. John Edwards (“Is Being a Sleaze a federal Crime?”), New York’s Congressman Andrew Weiner (How low can you go with your twittering?), and Sarah Palin (Paul Revere warns the British? Give us a break).
We will talk with NFL expert and Tulane law Professor Gabe Feldman about why there still could be a football strike this fall. What’s all the disagreement about? We fans just want to watch football. And in today’s economic doldrums, how does a family afford to take a summer vacation or even buy their season tickets? The Money Couple, Bethany and Scott palmer will join me to give some good current hints. Their new book, “First Comes Love, Then Comes Money, is a best seller and more information is available by Clicking Here.
Finally, summertime is a good time to get fit, lose some weight and begin eating better. Fitness guru Gus Deligiannidis will join me in giving good advice on how to talk a new direction in your life and begin feeling really good. Gus has a book titled: “My Personal Story of Health through Nutrition, Weight Loss, and Light Exercise and the Fascinating Wellness Program that came with it.” You can read all about it by Clicking Here.
A lively weekend planned, so be sure and tune in for Jim Brown’s “Common sense.”
Malcolm Holcombe is considered a bluegrass, folk singing genius in the Blue Ridge Mountains around Asheville, North Carolina. He’s been around for years, and has a unique personal style of playing and singing that has built quite a following in the backwoods music field. I’ve listened to Macomb for years. He’s had highs and real lows in his life, but his popularity seems to be coming back. I had an enjoyable evening last week listening and visiting with Malcolm at the red Dragon Music Room in Baton Rouge. Take a listen and see what you think. Listen particularly to the second video that Malcolm wrote about New Orleans.
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Well by now, most of you have heard Sarah Palin’s explanation of why Pal Revere made his famous ride. According to Sarah, it was to warn the British. It was even a bit much for Chris Wallace at Fox News to swallow. All the Palin apologists immediately came to her defense saying Revere did warn the British. Less known, says Sarah, is the fact that Paul Revere was captured by said redcoats and did indeed defiantly warn them of the awakened militia awaiting their arrival ahead and of the American Revolution’s inevitable victory. But if you look at the interview, this was far from what Palin meant. My friend, Andy Borowitz has the following comments about Palin’s “Freedom Tour.”
Visiting Thomas Jefferson’s historic home, Monticello, former Alaska Governor Sarah Palin today paid tribute to the nation’s third President, telling an audience of supporters, “We must never forget the wisdom of Jefferson, and his wife, Weezy.” Gov. Palin said that “at a time of our history when the American people needed leadership, it was Jefferson who said the immortal words, “˜We’re movin’ on up.'” The former Alaska Governor, criticized in recent days over her grasp of American history, used the Monticello speech to demonstrate her knowledge of the country’s founding fathers. “Let us have the ingenuity of Benjamin Franklin, who invented the electric chair,” she said.
“Let us have the honesty of George Washington, who told his father that he chopped down a cherry tree because it was blocking his view of Russia,” she added. “And let us have Washington’s perseverance, which he demonstrated during that harsh winter at Sweet Valley High.” But she saved her most fulsome praise for her favorite American hero, Paul Revere: “In his famous cry, “˜One if by land, two if by sea,’ Paul Revere proved that you don’t have to know how to count higher than two to be a great American.” At the end of her speech in Monticello, Gov. Palin said that she was looking forward to the next stop on her bus tour, Philadelphia, “the home of the Taco Bell.” Go Andy.
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Last week, The Congress of the United States sent a strong message to the American people that infringement on the Bill of Rights and the Constitution itself is just all part of the price we pay for “Big Government” to protect us. Thomas Paine warned us at the birth of our nation that “it is the responsibility of the patriot to protect his country from its government.” Paine would be
stunned today to watch our Congress march in lock step with the President in renewing the so called Patriot Act. Jim Brown writes this week that the Patriot Act is one of the most egregious acts against basic rights and liberties that we have witnessed in our lifetimes. Take a look at Jim’s thoughts and see if you agree. You can read Jim’s thoughts on this controversial law by gong to the flashing box at the top of this page, or by Clicking Here.
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So much to talk about in our weekend show, and way too little time. We will take a look at the week in review, and look at the musical chairs being played by republican presidential candidates. It’s hard to say from week to week who is in and who is out.  Sarah Palin goes to New Your to eat pizza and gets more attention than several major republicans who announced for President this week. Go figure.
Hey, there is a new blood test out that can supposedly predict just how long you will live? Will you take it? I think I would, but we will talk about it. And did you know that your teeth and gums are an important part of keeping you from a number of diseases? Dr. Daniel Sindelar will join me to tell you why he feels that your total health depends on the state of your oral health and the connection between gum disease and cardiovascular disease, stroke, diabetes, or Alzheimer’s is now uncomfortably clear. His book, Refresh Life, is compelling and full information can be found by Clicking Here.
I’ll also talk with educator Susan Kruger, who challenges parents to organize their kids time better if they want to see dramatic improvement in learning. Susan’s book, Soar Study Skills sets out an ambitious plan for student improvement. More can be found by Clicking Here. A full agenda, so join us this weekend on the radio.
FIVE THINGS YOU CAN DO TO SUPPORT THE JIM BROWN WEBSITE AND THEÂ “COMMON SENSE” RADIO PROGRAM.
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Jim Brown’s Common Sense
So are you a big supporter of Sarah Palin for President? The lady is back on the campaign stump tour traveling in her “Freedom Van’ all across the country, particularly in those states that will soon have presidential primaries. And guess what? She has some strong supporters already running TV spots in her behalf. Take a look.
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You’ve probably heard of shrimp on the barbie, but what about shrimp on a treadmill? The National Science Foundation has, and it spent $500,000 of taxpayer money researching it. It’s not entirely clear what this research hoped to establish. It’s not just shrimp on a treadmill. The foundation spent $1.5 million to create a robot that can fold laundry. But before you try to buy one to save some time, consider that it takes the robot 25 minutes to fold a single towel.
The list goes on. Lots of people love to use FarmVille on Facebook, but lots of people probably don’t love the government’s spending $300,000 in taxpayer money to study whether it helps build personal relationships.
But there’s more. The National Science Foundation has its headquarters in Arlington, Va., just across the river from Washington, D.C., a building it pays $19 million a year to rent. But now that the 20-year lease is nearly up, it has decided that it is time to move; into a new building that will cost $26 million annually to rent. Even gelatin wrestling has been the subject of an agency project. In Antarctica, no less. The foundation notes that the project is the work of contractors, not agency employees. Whatever the case might be, the situation is another example that federal spending has gotten out of control. Look at the video report below.
HOW CAN Â STATES LIKE LOUISIANA
BECOME PLAYERS IN THE PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION?
Last week, this column analyzed how only a handful of states will be both relevant and make any substantive difference in next year’s presidential election. Under the present system, it’s a “winner take all” contest, where the state’s electoral votes go to the top vote getter. In a red state, like Louisiana, a Republican voting majority is a dead cinch. So why should the candidate for president pay any attention to die hard red or blue states where campaigning is of little value? I have an idea that may have some merit…at least for the Bayou State. Take a look at my new column now up you can read it by Clicking Here, or by going to the RED FLASHING BOX above. Take a look.
There never is a lack of challenging topics to talk about on the radio, particularly this weekend. “˜We have a full agenda planned and we hope you will be able to join the show. How about we start grading parents as well as the kids? Teachers overwhelmingly agree that parental guidance and participation is a key component in a child’s advancement and success in school. Some parents don’t carry their load. So how about giving them a grade and build in some consequences? We will talk about it.
And is America in decline? Many seem to think so. Maybe it’s our leaders, the politicians who never tire of pontificating, but what about effective leading? Is they system that is the problem, or is it our elected officials? The Patriot Act (better called the Unpatriotic Act) will also be on our agenda as congress is about to renew this terrible legislation that continues to erode our individual freedoms.
Todd Lipscomb will join us to discuss why we our undermining our economy by not buying American. His new book, “Re-Made in the USA,” is creating a lot of comments as to whether we can restore jobs, retool manufacturing and compete better in the world market. You can read more about Todd’s book by Clicking Here.
And finally, who can forget the movie E.T. and the star, Dee Wallace? She has made 130 films, and has a new book out called “Bright Light.” More information is found by Clicking Here, and I look forward to talking to Dee about her fascinating life. All this crammed into our show this weekend. Be sure and tune in or listen to our podcast which you can access above.
I was over in the Pensacola, Florida area last week. My radio program is carried over WNVY (1070 am) and WVTJ (610am) so it was ice to touch base with a number of regular listeners throughout that area. Tourism is still down following the Gulf Oil spill, and may restaurants complain that many northerners think there are still problems with the seafood and the beaches. I talk about it below.
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Well President Obama might need to get a little protocol help on his next foreign trip. While visiting the London last week, the President attended a dinner with Queen Elizabeth and a number of British officials. He decided to raise his glass and make a toast, all quite proper, but then he does so and speaks right over the British national anthem. Hey, even most of us know you show a bit of homage before raising your glass.  Watch the video below.
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