You readers who keep an eye on this site from around the Globe may not be able to appreciate the excitement and enthusiasm that have captivated Louisiana with the advent of the New Orleans Saints being in the Super Bowl.  It has been a real shot in the arm for the morale of so many Louisianians who have dealt with the aftermath of Katrina and Rita, along with the problems with our economy. To get a feel of the excitement down this way, take a look below at some of the views of our part of the country.  And remember ““ Who Dat!  Go Saints!

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It seems this past week than anyone interested in politics was galvanized by the U.S. Senate race in Massachusetts.  The Democrats have held this seat since 1957, and Massachusetts is the bluest of blue Democratic states.  We all know that Republican Scott Brown pulled a big upset.  But there is a Louisiana connection,  and my column this week talks about what would have happened if Louisiana native Victoria Reggie Kennedy, the Senator’s widow, would have run.  You can read it now by Clicking Here.

 

Hey, I’ve been a big Tanya Tucker fan for many years.  She was in her teens when I first heard her perform in Baton Rouge at the Old Capitol House back in the early 1970s.  She’s had many hits, including “The Happiest Girl in the Whole U.S.A.,” later a hit for Donna Fargo. Subsequently, she first reached the Top 10 with “Delta Dawn,” followed by the double-sided “Jamestown Ferry”/”Love’s the Answer” and the No. 1 hit, “What’s Your Mama’s Name?”  Tanya did a show in Baton Rouge a few weeks ago, I Ihad a chance to visit with her before the show.  Eat your heart out Glen Campbell (her former husband).

Well I tried my best to talk to Tiger.  I tried to be the old sage full of good advice about his future.  But obviously, I didn’t fair too well.  I guess I’ll have to settle for teaching him all I know about putting and using a six iron.

From press reports, one would think that U.S. Senators Mary Landrieu and David Vitter are bitter enemies.  But this may be just a

fraud.  When in Washington, particularly in the winter, did you know that they slip off together?  Take a look.

 

The New Orleans Mayor’s election is just week’s away, and there is more than just passing interest by those interested in being the next governor.  It’s the domino effect.  Present Lt. Governor Mitch Landrieu could well be on his way to winning in the first primary, which means an opening could be on the horizon to fill his unexpired term at first in line to the governorship. So we may being seeing this New Orleans elections having a major affect on who will be Louisiana’s next governor to follow Bobby Jindal.  Take a look at my new column to see my thoughts.  You can read it now by Clicking Here.

Well Saints fever is all over Louisiana, and New Orleans will be overrun with Saints fans for Saturday’s big game against the Arizona Cardinals.  Everybody has a Saints chant (“Who Dat?”) and many songs ballyhoo the Saints success.  Take a look at well known New Orleans musician Kermit Ruffins singing his hot new Saints song.

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I’m an unabashed Toni Bennett fan.  And I’ll see him this weekend, as he performs at the Beau Rivage in Biloxi, Ms. You will notice Toni and I hanging out together in Las Vegas.   Oh alright.  It is the wax museum, but who’s the real guy and who’s the dummie?  Toni Bennett never seems to age, and his music gets better as years go by. He sings one of my favorites in the video below.

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Ever have to explain what globalization is and how it works?  He is a pretty good way to do it.

Question:

What is the truest definition  of Globalization?   Answer:  Princess Diana’s death.  Question:  How come?                                

Answer :   An English princess with an Egyptian boyfriend crashes in a French tunnel,                              

riding in a  German car  with a  Dutch engine, driven by a Belgian  who was drunk on Scottish whisky, 

(check the bottle before you change the spelling),  followed closely by Italian Paparazzi,                                

on Japanese motorcycles,  treated by an American doctor, using  Brazilian medicines.                                

This is sent to you using American Bill Gates’ technology, and you’re probably reading                               

this on your computer, that uses Taiwanese chips,  and  a Korean monitor,                                

assembled by  Bangladeshi workers in a Singapore plant,                               

transported by Indian truck drivers, hijacked by Indonesians, unloaded by Sicilian longshoremen,

 and trucked to you by Mexican illegals….. ..  

That,my friends,is Globalization !  

Week after week, we read chilling stories in the press of drunk drivers who are involved in serious accidents, often killing someone else.  Why is drinking and driving so prevalent in Louisiana?  Drive through Daiquiri stands.  Bars that stay open around the clock.  And a judicial system that often lets a drunk driver off the hook.  Will it change?  See what I have to say in my new column now posted.  You can read it by Clicking Here.  And take a look at some of the chilling videos below.  As the column says, driving intoxicated is no different than waving around a loaded gun.

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The Edwin Edwards Book phenomenon has been a real surprise to those of us here at the Lisburn Press.  I started this small Louisiana press back in 2005 to publish my first book, “Justice Denied.”Â  I felt there was a large, untapped market for Louisiana and Deep South books that could find an appreciative audience and there was a large market interested in the various; and sundry characters that are a part of our southern culture.  You can see the varo=ious books now available through the Lisburn Press by hitting the Lisburn Press box on the left side of this page or by going to www.TheLisburnPress.com.

The Edwards biography, by Baton Rouge author Leo Honeycutt, has taken off like wildfire.  The book is now in its third printing and sales should approach 50,000 by early spring.  I analyzed the phenomenon in a column a few weeks ago that you can read by Clicking Here.  Whether you like him or not, thousands what to read the fascinating like of Louisiana’s longest serving governor.  You can get more information on the book and order it by going to www.edwinedwards.net.  Bookstores should be restocked with copies by January 20^th.

 

You and I get almost strip searched on routine flights out of Louisiana, while terrorists just waltz on our airplanes.  And the head of Homeland Security says the system worked?  I hope you join me in thinking”¦”hey, give me a break.”Â  Take a look at my new column and see if you agree that America is taking a narrow minded approach in an effort to protecting air travelers.  You can read it now by Clicking here. 

 And be sure and turn in all this week to hear Jim’s radio show on WJBO out of Baton Rouge.  Out with the old and listening to your views of what to expect in 2010.  You can hear Jim from 5:00 pm until 7:00 pm on 1150 am, or on the worldwide web at www.wjbo.com.

Listen to my thoughts on Louisian Natinal Guardsmen heading back to Afghanistan for the second tour of duty.  Are we running short handed in being the world’s peace keeper? And a review of a chilling war movie now playing, “Brothers.”

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As a new decade begins, you might enjoy looking back over past Louisian political campaigns, including a few I was a part of.  Few states have such colorful characters as those found in Louisian political life.  I had highs and lows in the political arena.  Take a look down Louisiana political memory lane.

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The new authorized biography of former Louisiana Gov. Edwin Edwards went on sale this week.  In three days, the first run of 10,000 books was completely sold out.  And there are pre orders for 10,000 more.  People in the Louisiana book trade say they have never seen anything like the demand to buy the Edwards book.  He is 82 and in the federal penitentiary.  So why all the interest?  My new column, just posted, takes a look at the Edwards phenomenon, and why he will be a major political figure in Louisiana for years to come.  You can read it now by Clicking Here.

And you can watch the Edwards magic with crowds in the video below.

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Well, Christmas day is right around the corner, so we have to check up on what all the Louisiana politicos are up to.  Th;ey, too, are feverishly preparing for Christmas Day. Take a look!

I really love this holiday time off the year.  This will be a special Christmas for me as just about all my family will be having Christmas dinner at our home.  I think our last count was 34. I’ll only be missing one of my daughters and her husband who are on the west coast and about to have my fourth grandchild.  My favorite Christmas song is any number of versions of “I’ll be Home for Christmas.”Â  One Christmas, I did not make it home for Christmas.  But I was there”¦.if only in my dreams.  Here’s a special salute to those protecting us who also cannot be home this year.

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CHRISTMAS AT ARLINGTON CEMETERY

Arlington National Cemetery

Rest easy, sleep well my brothers.

Know the line has held, your job is done.

Rest easy, sleep well.

Others have taken up where you fell, the line has held.

Peace, peace, and farewell…

Readers may be interested to know that these wreaths — some 5,000 — are donated by the Worcester Wreath Co. of Harrington, Maine . The owner, Merrill Worcester, not only provides the wreaths, but covers the trucking expense as well. He’s done this since 1992. A wonderful guy. Also, most years, groups of Maine school kids combine an educational trip to DC with this event to help out. Making this even more remarkable is the fact that Harrington is in one the poorest parts of the state. A grteat humanitarian gesture over the holidays to remember those who died for our freedom.

 

2009 was a really bad year for Louisiana insurance policyholders. Rates charged to Louisiana taxpayers remain the highest in the entire country.  Citizens Insurance Company, the state created fiasco, continues to have huge problems with no end in sight.  And taxpayers are taking it on the chin for a great deal of regulatory mismanagement.

 Jim Brown’s new column sets out the lows and the one high when it comes to any possible insurance rate relief.  The good news is that the legislatively crated Commission on Streamlining Government has recommended that Citizens insurance be abolished, something Jim has been calling for over a long period of time.  You can read the Streamlining Commission’s recommendations by Clicking Here.  And you can read Jim’s evaluation of the past year in crisis in his new column now posted.  Read it by Clicking Here.

I’ve been a Johnny Mathis fan for over 50 years.  And when the holiday season comes around, his music is a must for seasonal listening.  I met him once back in 1958.  My high school girlfriend loved his music (“Misty” was his big hit then) and he was performing at the Chase-Park Plaza Hotel in St. Louis.  I saved for months to attend his supper club performance.  On the night of his concert, my girl friend and I went to the top of the hotel to look out over the city before the show started.  We got back on the elevator and it came to a stop one floor below the top.  Johnny Mathis got on heading down to perform.  After a few speechless seconds, we said hello, and he could not have been more gracious.

He walked with us up to the front door, said goodbye, and then he went back stage.  We were seated by the maitre de right up front and enjoyed a grand supper and Johnny singing several numbers right to my lady.  After a memorial show, I asked for the check.  “There is no charge sir,” I was told. “You are with Mr. Mathis.”Â  I’m not sure whether the maitre’ de saw us walk in with Johnny or if he asked that we be compted.  But whatever happened, it was an unforgettable evening. Take a listen to Johnny singing “It’s Beginning to Look a lot like Christmas.”

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Sarah Palin’s new book is a block buster at book stores nationwide.  I sat down this weekend to read it and found out some interesting, strange and rather funny things about the former vice presidential candidate.  What she eats, who she talks to in the shower, philosophical tidbits of her approach to life, and, like the 60s song says, “Why”˜s everybody a pickin’ on me.”Â  Sarah Palin is a master promoter.  But is she all pizzazz? Is she famous just for being famous like Paris Hilton?  Or is there substance to the lady?  And how would she fair, politically, in Louisiana? Take a look at my thoughts in my new column now pasted.  You can read it by Clicking Here.

It’s supposed to be cold with possible snow in Louisiana this weekend.  Wow…snow!  A rarity down in this part of the country.  I always have these strange deams when the weather changes.  You can check me out below having a snowball fight with all my favorite politicians.  Since I wrote about Sarah Palin in my column this week, of course I had to include her.

Former Louisiana Insurance Commissioner tries to make insurance a front-burner topic among lawmakers, state officials and companies.  Louisiana has one of the worst insurance climates in the country.  The Baton Rouge Business Report poses 10 key insurance questions to Jim Brown on what to do about the present insurance mess in Louisiana.  You can read the entire question-answer session by Clicking Here.

 

Recognize this actor above?  He’s been in over 100 movies and has played the President six times.  He’s James Cromwell, just one of the many celebrities that came to New Orleans for the opening of the D Day museum theatre recently.  What a treat for me to discuss his many roles.  He was amazed at the many movies of his I had seen and could well remember.  Like The general’s Daughter, The Queen, The Green Mile, Space Cowboys, Deep Impact, L.A. Confidential”¦..I could go on and on.

Long time U.S. Senator from North Dakota and Democratic Presidential candidate in 1972, George McGovern (above)was a special guest at the museum theatre dedication.  McGovern was quite a war hero.  Thousands of young, eager volunteers lined up to be pilots during World War II, and The Wild Blue: The Men and Boys Who Flew the B-24s Over Germany 1944-45 tells their story by focusing on one bomber, the Dakota Queen, its pilot George McGovern and its crew. McGovern, a South Dakota preacher’s son, was a 19-year-old college sophomore when the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor. He immediately volunteered for service and less than three years later was piloting one of the big, unwieldy B-24 Liberator bombers. Completing 35 missions over Europe, McGovern went on to earn a Distinguished Flying Cross for his service.

My son, James, joined the dedication celebration, and is pictured below with former the Louisiana Episcopal Bishop.  His name too is James Brown.  So 25 years ago, Bishop James Brown baptized James Brown. That 25 years has flown by.

One of my all time favorite jazz pianists is Ahmad Jamal.  If you look at my Jukebox on the left, you will see listed one of his biggest hits, Poinciana.  I became a Jamal fan back in the late 1950s.  That’s right, he’s been around for almost 60 years.  I was dating a girl in St. Louis some 45 minutes away from my home and made the long trek home on weekend nights.  In the car, I always listed to the voice of St. Louis, KMOX.  The night disc jockey wad a guy named John McCormick. And he regularly played Ahmad Jamal, Dave Brubeck (Take Five), and Ramsey Lewis (The In Crowd).

 The D Jay, just before each song, would always say:”This is John McCormick”¦the man who walks and talks at midnight.”Â  I was on the radio at midnight just after Gustav hit Louisiana.  I made it a point in the wee hours to tell my listeners: “This is Jim Brown”¦.the man who walks and talks at midnight.”  I loved his show and learned a lot about good jazz.  And that’s how I became a Jamal fan.  He was in Baton Rouge performing last week, and I was in the number at the concert.  Below is Jamal performing.

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It was a grand supper at the White house this week for Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal, who joined in honoring the Prime Minister of India.  But it should be much more than just a social occasion for Jindal.  Hopefully, he will and should get to work in establishing a close working relationship with the leader of the world’s biggest democracy.  For one good reason.  Louisiana has much to gain.  Check out my column this week on just why it is important for Jindal to develop a close continuing friendship with India.  You can read my analysis now by Clicking Here.

 

Few commentators and observers had anything nice to say about former New Orleans Congressman Bill Jefferson following his recent conviction.  But putting feelings about Jefferson’s actions aside, did he get a fair trial?  Jim Brown says maybe not, and sets out some chilling commentary that every citizen should consider.  Like where was the blond shown above?  She is all over the video below, bu why wasn’t she called to testify? She’s THE key witness, yet she’s a no show? Take a look at Jim’s evaluation and conclusions, and then see if you agree.  You can read his column now by Clicking Here.

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As the only Republican in the House to vote for the Democratic health-care overhaul bill last week, New Orleans Rep. Anh “Joseph” Cao has gained a lot of attention in newspaper stories, radio talk shows and political Web sites.
Now, he even has a song to enshrine the moment: “The Ballad of Joseph Cao.”

Written and performed by Jeff Horwich, who hosts the Minnesota Public Radio program “The Loop,” the catchy tune notes the maverick move by the first-term congressman, but stops short of making it a profile in courage, with a couple of questions about his timing and his motivation.

In a brief caption, Horwich notes that “One, and only one, Republican broke ranks to vote for the health reform bill in the House. Dude needed a song.”  Take a look and give a listen below.

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I used to be a big Rudy Giuliani fan.  You cannot dispute the good job he did in cleaning up New York City and making it a much safer place to live and visit.  But he seems to be a little “off the wall” in the past several years.  He has become paranoid about tying a few suspected terrorists in New York.  I think he is way over reacting.  Check out my column I wrote recently about this being a phony issue by Clicking Here.  And you might find amusing several of the cartoons of Ole’ Rudy below.

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We have read a lot about the “greatest generation.”Â  But where does Louisiana and America stand today?  Are we out of the running to rally for a chance to excel like our parents and grandparents did 70 years ago?  The question needs exploring as the World War Two Museum in New Orleans opens a huge new development that focuses on past heroes that sacrificed so much for their country.  Are we asked to sacrifice enough today?  I explore this difficult subject in my new column now posted.  You can read it by Clicking Here.

 

There are a number of my old haunts I like to revisit from time to time.  One in particular brings back a number of old memories.  It’s the half Moon Bar and restaurant in the Irish Channel of Uptown New Orleans.  I spent many a night, ate many a crawfish along with a few drafts in my years just out of law school.  You can walk into the past with me in the video below.  And if you want to read about the guy who owned the Half Moon, who was quite a local character in his own right, Mike Roccaforte, just Click Here.

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Well it’s time for the Good, the Bad and the Ugly: a new segment on my site.  And hey, there sure is a lot to choose from each week.  So take a look.  First the Good. 

I’ll bet you’ve never seen a pet like the one in this Video of the Day. In 1969, two friends, John Rendall and Ace Berg, purchased a lion. At the time, Christian the lion was a 35-pound cub. He had been born in a zoo. The friends raised Christian in their London home. All three hung out in a friend’s furniture shop on the weekends.Within a year, Christian had grown to 185 lbs. Rendall and Berg realized they couldn’t keep him much longer. But they didn’t know what to do with him. A chance encounter changed that. Two actors from the film Born Free walked into the furniture store.The actors recommended a conservationist, George Adamson, living in Kenya. Christian was soon in Africa. There he was rehabilitated and released into the wild. In 1974, Rendall and Berg decided to visit Christian one last time. He was now a wild animal. Adamson told them it was doubtful that Christian could be found. No one had seen him in nine months.The two flew to Kenya, anyway. On the day they landed, Christian appeared outside Adamson’s camp. Somehow, he knew. He waited outside the camp until Rendall and Berg arrived.

In what was possibly the last written document before he died, former Louisiana Governor Dave Treen blasted federal judge Frank Polozola for being vindictive and biased in his sentencing of former Governor Edwin Edwards.  Polozola, known around Baton Rouge as “the Ayatollah Polozola,” gave Edwards twice the sentence called for in the federal guidelines and made a number of questionable rulings in the trial including kicking off a pro Edwards juror right in the middle of deliberations.  Treen said that Polozola’s actions were wrong and personally vindictive. You can watch the Baton Rouge Channel 9 view of the story below.

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Everyone agreed that former Louisiana Governor was a nice guy.  Those were the accolades heaped on him as he was mourned, eulogized and remembered by friends and political observers alike.  But Dave Treen can with full justification lay claim to being perhaps the only real conservative governor in the past century.  Others switched parties to serve their own political purposes.  But Treen was a tried and true conservative from the beginning.  My column this week is about the humble and competent leader who was underestimated by many for the job he did and the approach he took to running Louisiana.  You can read the column now by Clicking Here.

Below, Governor Dave Treen is honored at the Louisian State Capitol.

A long list of friends, public officials, and many who had worked with Governor Treen gathered at the state capitol on November 2 to pay their final respects.  So many of us lingered for a while to share stories and rememberences of the Governor.  James Carville, his wife Mary Matalin, and I joined many others at the service.  Mary and James left after the ceremony to fly to New York and appear as guests on daughter Campbell’s nightly show on CNN.

Let me send a high five to daughter Campbell for taking on the White House this week.  The President has been critical of Fox News for being “too biased” in their news coverage.  So Campbell raised the queston, but what about the favoritism of MSNBC towards the President…what about that bias?  Even Bill O’Reilly gave Campbell accolades on the air for her balanced opinion.  Take a listen to her in the video below:

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Is there any more dysfunctional city, with a more dysfunctional Mayor and major bozos who are supposed to serve as leaders than in New Orleans?  Remember the recovery czar Ed Blakely.  A real phony who set New Orleans back years with his ridiculous policies endorsed by Mayor Ray Nagin?  Here’s what he said a few days ago about New Orleans.

 In the Cal-Berkeley interview, Blakely’s most explosive comments came when he was asked about race. “Everyone’s a racist. It’s part of what we have in this country, but it’s deeper, more viral, more visible and more entrenched in New Orleans than any place I’ve ever seen,” Blakely said.

He then said white New Orleanians saw the turmoil after Katrina as an opportunity to regain political power. “Now, the white community, there’s blood in the water, and they can recapture the political apparatus and kind of put their foot back on black people’s throats,” he said. Blakely went on to predict that race riots are likely. “Unless the next mayor is very clever, it’s going to explode and there are going to be race riots.” .

 Blakely also played climatologist, saying New Orleans “isn’t likely” to be around 100 years from now. He said the Mississippi River and another storm would probably conspire to “wipe New Orleans off the map.”

Take a look at some of his ridiculous comments below:

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Fifty years ago this Saturday night-October 31.  It was a magical moment for the LSU Tigers and All American Billy Cannon.  And what a ride, from the top to the bottom, he has had over all these years.  You will be surprised to read that I played a minor role in the Billy Cannon counterfeit case.  Learn where the first $100 bill was discovered and why I was confronted by U.S. Treasury agents.  Have folks forgiven Ole’ Billy?  There won’t be any doubt Saturday night in Tiger Stadium when the crowd roars on and on when he will be introduced. Below is a replay of the famous night 50 years ago.  Read my new column on the highs and lows of Cannon by Clicking Here.

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It’s Halloween time, and some pretty spooky things seem to always happen.  And in Louisiana, the politicians can scare us more than anyone else.  So obviously, we need a Halloween cartoon to celebrate the season.  See if you have any problem recognizing the various really scary Louisiana present and former politicos.

 

The initial response to my son-in-law Dan Senor’s new book has been overwhelming.  Take a look at the various reviews below.  You can read an excerpt from the book by Clicking Here. If you are interested in getting an early copy, Click Here for full information.  Dan also talks about his new book and the world surrounding us in the video below.

There are two central questions that he tries to answer in Start-Up Nation.:

I.                   First, how?  Israel has the highest density of start-ups in the world.   Israel produces more companies that wind up on NASDAQ than all of Japan, China, India, Korea, and all of Europe combined.  And, on a per capita basis, Israel attracts more global venture capital than any other country in the world.   Why?  And how did the Israelis pull it off, especially when surrounded by enemies, in a state of war since Israel’s founding, on one of the few slabs of land in the Middle East with no oil, and – due to the Arab boycott – no zero access to regional capital and regional markets.

II.                Second, what can we learn?  For the past few years, global prosperity has rested on a speculative (credit) bubble, not on the productivity increases that economists agree are the foundation of sustainable economic growth. Israel, on the other hand, specializes in high growth entrepreneurship — start-ups that wind up transforming entire global industries. At a time that the U.S. is trying to re-boot it’s economy, are Israel’s unique policies in immigration, R&D, and national service — all of which contribute to its knowledge-based economic model ““ applicable to the U.S.?

Advance Praise for Start-up Nation:

“Start-Up Nation addresses a tantalizing puzzle: How on earth does Israel have more companies on the NASDAQ than any country other than the United States, and what accounts for this tiny nation’s outsize high-tech accomplishments? An eye-opening look at a side of Israel that most people never think about.”

Freakonomics authors Stephen J. Dubner and Steven D. Levitt

“There is a great deal for America to learn from the very impressive Israeli entrepreneurial model-beginning with a culture of leadership and risk management. Start-Up Nation is a playbook for every CEO who wants to develop the next generation of corporate leaders.”

–Tom Brokaw, special correspondent for NBC News, author of The Greatest Generation

“Senor and Singer’s experience in government, in business, and in journalism-and especially on the ground in the Middle East-come to life in their illuminating, timely, and often surprising analysis.”

–George Stephanopoulos, host of This Week, ABC News

“In the midst of the chaos of the Middle East, there’s a remarkable story of innovation. Start-Up Nation is filled with inspiring insights into what’s behind Israel’s dynamic economy. It is a timely book and a much-needed celebration of the entrepreneurial spirit.”

–Meg Whitman, former president and CEO of eBay

“Senor and Singer highlight some important lessons and sound instruction for countries struggling to enter the 21st century. An edifying, cogent report, as apolitical as reasonably possible, about homemade nation building.”

–Kirkus Review“

The authors ground their analysis in case studies and interviews with some of Israel’s most brilliant innovators to make this a rich and insightful read not just for business leaders and policymakers but for anyone curious about contemporary Israeli culture.”

–Publishers Weekly 

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Can Louisiana government be modernized and streamlined?  A new commission has been created to do just that.  But are they bogged down in the “here and now” with no long range planning in mind? It looks that way.  So what should they do to get a handle on where Louisiana should be 20 years from now?  Take a look at this week’s column now posted.  You can read it by Clicking Here. 

And in the column, I talk about a new book by Dan Senor and Saul Singer called “Start-Up Nation.”Â  It’s a great read on the tremendous success of Israel’s new business development.  Did you know that with no natural resources and completely surrounded by its enemies, Israel produces more start -up companies than most of the larger countries in the world?  Dan Senor will be a guest taking about this important new book on Meet the Press this Sunday, October 25. (Oh alright! Full disclosure and all that.  He’s my son-in-law.)  Below is Dan talking about his experiences as chief spokesman for U.S. forces in Iraq.

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No hurricanes this year, and the insurance front should be calm and stable with rates beginning to go down-right?  Well, not so.  Rates, particularly for property owners continue to go up in Louisiana as they dropping other gulf coast states.  And the new buzz word-dry wall.  Thousands on Louisiana homes have been infected with rotten walls that corrode pipes and appliances.  But many insurance companies are not paying claims and canceling policies when claims are made.  So here we go again.  The Wall Street Journal wrote about this issue also today and you can read it Here. Take a look at my new column that discusses this thorny issue.  You can read it by Clicking Here.

Congress is on its way towards approving new legislation that creates new so-called “hate crimes.”Â  The sentence of someone convicted will increase based on what was in the mind of the accused.  So one is punished once for the crime, and then again for the hate.  Is this reasonable?  I discussed the controversial issue on the radio recently.  Give a listen.

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So what’s with all these dancing politicians?  We know they often try to alibi and dance their way around tough political issues.  But taking to the dance floor?  Come on!  We start below with former GOP House Majority Leader Tom Delay, affectionately know as “the Hammer.”Â  And check out the other “questionable dancers who lead us in Washington.

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So does former President George Bush have rhythm?  You decide.

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And Karl Rowe?  He definitely needs some lessons.

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We often dismiss the fact that there are amazing people in less developed nations.  Talent is everywhere.  In the video below, this young Ukrainian girl tells an entire story by pushing around sand on a table.  She uses nothing but sand and her hands to create these unbelievable images. Often we don’t appreciate the talents of simplicity.  As former LSU basketball Coach Dale Brown says:  “We don’t scratch the surface of our greatness.  If we did all the things we are capable of doing, we would literally astonish ourselves.”Â  The following video is truly astonishing.

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The Jihadists converging in Louisiana?  What a crazy idea!  But wait”¦.is it so off the wall that millions of dollars could flow into Louisiana creating up to 700 new jobs if the state will agree to take several hundred detainees (yes, accused terrorists), and confine them in a maximum security federal prison?  Read my reasoning in this week’s column.  We’ve got thugs galore in Louisiana prisons now that are much tougher and more dangerous that the worst Taliban member.  So why not get the financial benefits of a major prison facility.  Oh yes, many members are going nuts I opposition to such a plan.  Check out the video showing the hysteria below.  But see if you follow my reasoning.  You can read the column now by Clicking Here, or by clicking on “Jim’s New Column” box on the left.  Check it out.

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There have been a lot of disappointing former heroes recently.   So many of our sports stars have been tainted with drug allegations.  Movie stars seem to always get into some kind of trouble.  Look what’s happened to one of my favorites-David Letterman.  So who are the real heroes that help us carry on in our daily lives.  Of course, our military throughout the world.  But I’ve singled out some “special” people who I think really deserve the title- “Hero.”Â  I talked about this very subject of a recent radio show.  Take a look and see if you agree with me.  Below also is such a special person, my cardiologist, Dr. Carl Luikart keeping an eye on me last week during my treadmill test.

There have been a lot of disappointing former heroes recently.   So many of our sports stars have been tainted with drug allegations.  Movie stars seem to always get into some kind of trouble.  Look what’s happened to one of my favorites-David Letterman.  So who are the real heroes that help us carry on in our daily lives.  Of course, our military throughout the world.  But I’ve singled out some “special” people who I think really deserve the title- “Hero.”Â  I talked about this very subject of a recent radio show.  Take a look and see if you agree with me.  Below also is such a special person, my cardiologist, Dr. Carl Luikart keeping an eye on me last week during my treadmill test.

 

Chris Rock, in my opinion, has become American’s best observer and chronicler of our way of life today.  He’s generally “right on” when it comes to both observing and commentating on what we do and why we do it.  He was on Jay Leno this week talking about the ridiculous arguments being made in support for letting film producer Roman Polanski free for his rape of a 13 year old.  Oh yeah, that’s me and Chris, with my son James, just “hangin’ out after one of his concerts.  You didn’t know Chris and I go way back?

I grew up politically with “Saturday Night Live.”Â  I can still picture Chevy Chase stumbling at his speaker’s stand imitating Producer Gerald Ford stumbling and falling down.  Ford was probably the best former athlete who ever served in the White House, but Chase, on Saturday Night Live, tagged him as a bumbler. The show is often accused of favoring the democrats.  But they sure lambasted the present democratic “do nothing” president (as they pictured him) in last week’s sketch.

And a must see is the two sketches on Congressman Joe Wilson (“You Lie”) and Louisiana’s own James Carville.  They are right on the money with the Raging Cajun.  Check out all these sketches below.

 

There’s a lot of fuss in Louisiana right now abut legislators meeting secretly  to talk about reapportioning legislative and other districts in the state.  But the question no one is asking is why legislators should be involved in redistricting at all.  After all, don’t they have a direct conflict in being able to draw the lines for the district where they are going to run?  Is this fair?  What is a more progressive way to reapportion the state?  Jim Brown’s NEW column discusses this important issue this week.  You can read it now by Clicking Here, or Clicking the “Jim’s New Column” link on the left side of this page.

In John Camp’s new book, Odyssey of a Derelict Gunslinger he writes a great deal about his relationship with Evangelist Rev. Jimmy Swaggart.  I too know Rev. Swaggart well since he was from my old hometown of Ferriday.  John and I talked about the Swaggart controversy last week, and you can see it in the interview below.  Then take a look at the preacher in action.  He could sure mesmorize a crowd.

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Leno is off to a fast start with his new earlier night show on NBC.  Can I brag a bit?  My kid was on Leno and did OK if I do say so myself.  Take a look at this short clip of Campbell and Jay Leno.

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When was the last time you heard any politician mention the dreaded term “affordable property insurance” in Louisiana?  The insurance front has been extremely quite.  Maybe too quiet.  Louisiana elected officials hope the subject just goes away.  Quite a contrast to what’s happening in Florida.  Property insurance rates are a front burner issue.  The state’s largest newspaper, The Miami Herald, has been running daily features on the property insurance problem..So why is the issue being ignored in Louisiana?  My new column this week discusses this extremely important issue.  You can also see me talk about it in the video below.  Read the column now by Clicking Here.

“Odyssey of a Derelict Gunslinger: A Saga of Exposing TV Preachers, Corrupt Politicians, Right-Wing Lunatics…and Me.”Â  Quite a book title.  It’s a new book by Louisiana news reporter John Camp, who now lives in St. Francisville.  He was an investigative reporter for CNN and has followed many Louisiana scandals, including Rev. Jimmy Swaggart and the strange and predictable murder of Baton Rouge drug runner Barry Seale.  The Seale case had both natonal and international repercussions, and you can see john Camp’s story on Seale also below. I interviewed John this week about his new book.  Take a look and listen below.

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So do you feel sorry for insurance company executives?  The you can join in the weeping by watching this new online ad below that concludes (tongue in cheek) that health insurance  executives are getting a bum rap in the national healthcare debate.  Even if you don’t agree, it’s pretty funny to watch.  Even has Will Ferrell as part of the cast.  Take a look.

Daughter Campbell gives both the President and Congress hell for something as difficult as “reading proposed legislation.”Â  Is she being to strict on these poor public officials?  Take a look and see what you think.

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Can you believe it?  One politician calling another a liar!  What’s the state of public affairs coming to?  Is South Carolina congressman Joe Wilson an anomaly in his shouting escapade directed at the President last week?  Hardly.  Those who are taken back just need to take a look at many such incidents where one public official calls another one a liar.  The examples are many.  Take a look at my new column now posted where I reminisce of confrontations in days gone by of Louisiana politicians using the “L” word.   You can read the column now by Clicking Here.  And you might take a look and listen to CBS news anchor Bob Schieffer on lying politicians below.

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I’m over at Perdido Key all this week getting myself in shape for a weekend Triathlon, and enjoying the fact that most of the summer crowds are gone.  The Gulf is still warm for swimming, and the cooler early morning weather makes a jog on the beach much easier.  One thing I have noticed that hits right in the pocketbook.  We have several family condos on the beach.  Insurance costs are lower here than in Louisiana.  Wonder why?  Take a look and listen to my thoughts below.

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The anniversary of the September 11, 2001 attach on New York passed rather quietly last week.  Remember how Mayor Rudy Giuliani and President Bush both vowed to quickly rebuild the  smoldering hole in the ground that would be bigger and better than before?  Well eight years have gone by and Ground Zero remains just that-noting but the hole.  A new tower was to be built, but the projected completion date has been pushed back years and probably decades.  One question to ask:  If this hugh project is rebuilt, would you want to work in the building?  Would you have safety concerns?  I was at the site recently as you can see below with attorney friend Kevin Salter.  Sadly, not much to look at. As slow as the recover as been in New Orleans, it looks like New York’s is even slower.

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Sometimes my musical favorites are a little off beat, but I listen to the songs I like hundreds of time.  Most of my favorites end up on my juke box on the left side of this site, and you ought to take a listen going back a number of years.  I just happened across singer Billy Currington one day on the radio, and really liked is song “People are Crazy.”Â  I guess I identified with the story some from my younger days.  In any event ole’ Billy is there at number one and the song received two Country Music Association Awards last week.  See if you like it as much as me.  Clink in middle of the screen for Youtube video to come up.

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Both La. Governor Bobby Jindal and President Obama took a lot of heat this past week.  The Prez for wanting to “indoctrinate” our kids with his TV address.  And Jindal for using state helicopters to travel around the state to attend church services.  Are these legitimate knocks?  I take a look at both issues in this week’s column that has now been posted.  You can read it by Clicking Here.

Below you can get an idea of press reaction to both Jindal’s religious junkets and Obama’s so called propaganda on education.  Some are funny and others raise questions about motives of those who are so quick to criticize.

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Edwin Edwards is far from just disappearing from the political scene.  The former governor is 82 years old, from all reports is in good health, and has a year and four months left on his sentence.  A new book will be out late this fall on the life of “The Cajun Prince” that, the author says, will give new insights into the tactics used to convict him, and many other anecdotes of the colorful governor’s life.  I interviewed author Leo Honeycutt this week about his progress with the book, which you can watch below.

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How can prosecutors continue to convict innocent citizens, send them to jail, and yes, even put those innocent to death.  You will be surprised, if you take a little time to investigate, at how often this happens.  Look at the chilling video below of Todd Willingham from Texas, who was put to death for setting a fire that killed his three kids.  But this week’s New Yorker Magazine concludes that a bungled investigation, and incompetent prosecutors, led to an innocent man being sent to his death.  You can read the whole article on Willingham by Clicking Here.

And  take a look at Times Picayune columnist James Gill’s column last week were he rehashes the gross incompetence of former New Orleans US Attorney Eddie Jordan.  As gill concludes, the only decent call Jordan made was to resign from office.  One of our all time worst of the worst.  Read Gill’s column by Clicking Here.

 

Well it was not a good week for taxpayers as August came to an end.  A tax holiday begins? For tax cheats?  It’s appalling when there are so many other ways to get the money owed?  No high-speed rail, huge subsidies to the Saints when no other state gives any money at all, and corporate welfare to make French fries in North Louisiana.  Is this the best state government and the legislature can do?  Take a look at Jim’s new column that eats away at the questionable spending and some of the repercussions.  You can read it now by Clicking Here.

Is Louisiana justified in being the only state with an NFL football team in giving money to this sports franchise?  No other team gets tax dollars from their state.  So does why Louisiana?  I talk about it on the radio.  Also, how about Louisiana’s Highway department not even applying for federal dollars to build a high speed train link between New Orleans and Baton Rouge?  Why turn down the money?  Take a listen to my comments and see if you agree.

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As you regular readers of this site know, I closely follow the political antics of a great national figure-Paris Hilton.  She is saying she just might run for president next time around.  Well, at least be a “fake” president.  Here’s a good interview of Paris getting sound advice from former “West Wing“ Prez Martin Sheen.  It’s worth the look.

Daughter Campbell is called one of the very few unbiased news commentators on the national scene today.  Should those presenting the news give it with their own personal political slat, or do you want to hear the facts then make up your own mind?  Take a listen to Campbell then see how you feel?

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Healthcare is dominating the national agenda, with the rhetoric heating up higher almost daily.  And there seems to be so many questionable charges of what will happen if major healthcare reform is put into law by the congress.  Just who’s telling the truth, who is exaggerating, who is there putting out absolute falsehoods?  And what’s the bottom line for Louisianans?  My new column is now posted, and I make an effort to bing some reason to the debate.  You can read it now by Clicking Here.

 

One of the great things about this country is that often, we are given a second chance when things just do not go right.  And America is a forgiving country.  But forgiving and rewarding wrongdoing are two separate and different things.  Thus the case of football star Michael Vick.  On this date, he resumes his NFL career after serving time for dog fighting, killing and major abuse.  What kind of example IS Vick to the young kids of America who aspire to be a football or some other sports star?  He has now served his time and is now back in the big time.  I think it’s wrong to let him play.  Take a look at the video below of my receny radio show to see my reasoning.

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Well we habe Bobby hoping to run for President.  And Brad now says he might run for Governor.  So how about Britney also being President?  How would things be different?  David Letterman put the questions to her in his Top Ten nightly list this week.  You can see what her priorities would be.  And we can’t forget Paris Hilton in the mix can we?  Look at this week’s video of Paris’ interest in also being President.

 

Our Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal is in the middle of national controversy over his administrations requests for federal funds to build a high speed rail link between New Orleans and Baton Rouge.  I personally think proposal is a good one, and the numbers should justify the expense.  The problem is that the Governor said in his panned response to the President’s State of the Union address in February that stimulus money for rail is a waste.  So this week, MSNBC’s Keith Oberman names Jindal as his “Worst Person in the World” for being a hypocrite on the funding issue.  Take a look and see what you think. Is Jindal trying to have it both ways? You can also read some of the national commentary by Clicking Here and Clicking Here.

 

Financial scandals are the range today with Madoff and Stanford leading the culprits.  Some 1700 Louisiana families got scammed by the Stanford group.  A federal receiver has seized Stanford’s assets, while little can be done for Louisiana investors, some who have lost all their savings.  So here’s the question.  What did Louisiana financial regulators do to protect these families who have been defrauded?  Why is the Louisiana Office of Financial Institutions so quiet about this whole mess? Maybe because they may have major liability.  Read it all now in Jim’s NEW column now posted.   You can Click Here.

This whole Stanford group scandal seems to get more strange and murkier.  It’s obvious the boss, Alan Stanford received special treatment from federal and state regulators, and he made major contributions to many elected officials.  And were where those who were supposed to be guarding the hen house?  I talk about Louisiana’s possible liability on my radio show.  You can take a listen below.

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We know how narcissistic and what big egos politicians have.  But here are two guys below that really take the cake.  Former Illinois Governor Rudy Blagojevich, presently under indictment, doesn’t seem to have a care in the world as he mounts the stage and does his Elvis imitation.  I gotta tell you Rudy, you need to find a better job.  And how about new US Senator Al Franken from Minnesota.  Did you know he really gives his all in trying to be Mick Jagger with the Rolling Stones?  At least Franken has a day job to go to.  Take a look.

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 Can the Insurance climate in Louisiana get any worse?  Insurance problems in the state were the focus of a recent radio show where a number of callers continue to ask why rates are so high.  Take a listen to my thoughts on all that has been happening.

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And remember Harry Markopolos, the whistleblower on Bernie Madoff, who proved to be much smarter than the SEC?  He says Madoff is small time compared to all these shysters involved in credit-default swaps that Insurance commissioners all over the country have failed to regulate.  “To put it in simple terms, it is like buying fire insurance policies from five different insurance companies on your neighbor’s house and then burning down the house,” he said.  It’s all in this week’s column.  Click Here for his comments.

Well there is a cable news war going on and daughter Campbell is right in the middle of it.  Take a gander at her recent comments about the nasty words flying from one cable station to another.

 

An “angry mob” is always welcome at Sen. David Vitter’s (R.-La.) town hall meetings, the conservative snare said this past weekend,  Vitter, picking up on  the “mob” rhetoric first floated by national Democrats, complimented protesters who have made their way to lawmakers’ district meetings across the country during the August recess.“please know that this and any other “˜angry mob’ is welcome to m town hall meetings whenever you want to come,” Vitter said at his meeting Saturday, in Alexandria.  Then the mob got angry, and the Senator felt it necessary to slop out the back door.  Vitter’s quick exit was fodder for the cable news shows over the past several days.  Check out Vitter’s quick exit in the video below. 

 

Introducing the Louisiana Progress Journal

View and download here: http://tinyurl.com/laprogress1 

FIRST “˜LOUISIANA PROGRESS JOURNAL’ LAUNCHES

You might want to take a look at the first edition of the Louisiana Progress Journal which was released by the Louisiana Progress Initiative(LPI). The public policy publication includes five articles that share original thoughts, proposals, and analysis on current policy debates and challenges in Louisiana. The journal is the result of a volunteer effort by a group of Louisiana-based thinkers, writers, and practitioners with the goal of injecting fresh ideas into the public debate through carefully-reasoned reports, articles, and essay services. I wrote an article on the most recent mediocre legislative session that you, my loyal readers, might find of interest.

ABOUT THE LOUISIANA PROGRESS INITIATIVE
LPI is a new, statewide endeavor which seeks to advance progressive policies in Louisiana through careful research and analysis.  The organization’s mission is to foster a robust marketplace of progressive ideas through the dissemination of periodic reports directly to policymakers, community organizations, and concerned citizens.  LPI is non-profit, non-partisan, volunteer-led, and not affiliated with any other group.To submit a piece, e-mail lpi.inbox@gmail.com.  And to read the whole publication, Click Here.

 

 It’s been a really bad month for insurance policyholders and taxpayers in Louisiana.  You wonder if anything else traumatic can happen.  Questionable audits, misspending, major investigations, court orders make insurance documents public, troubled companies, and hands down the highest insurance rates in the country.  Can things get any worse?  Why does Louisiana have the worst insurance climate in the country? Check out Jim’s NEW column that is now posted to read all the grizzly and grimy details.  You can read it now by Clicking Here.

 

What is the future of casino gambling in Louisiana?  Income is dropping in casinos throughout the country.  And what happens in the Bayou State if Texas legalizes casino gambling?  I talked about this issue on my radio show recently.  You can see the clip below.

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Now I know the saying, “What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas.”  But I really met a lot of interesting folks I want to share with you.  Now I’m not much of a gambler.  but I do like to hob nob with the stars.  So  take a look below.  You will surely want to come along on my next trip.

You won’t believe this….the yellow dots in the video below are airplanes in the sky
during a 24 hour period.

Stay with the picture. You will see the light of the day moving from the
east to the west, as the Earth spins on it’s axis.

Also you will see the aircraft flow of traffic leaving the North American
continent at traveling at night to arrive in the UK in the  morning.
Then you will see the flow changing, leaving the UK in the morning and
flying to the American continent in daylight.

It is a 24 hour observation of all of the large aircraft flights in the world,
condensed down to about 2 minutes. From space we look like a bee
hive of activity.

You could tell it was summer time in the north by the sun’s footprint over
the planet. You could see that it didn’t quite set in the extreme north and
it didn’t quite rise in the extreme south.
I have never seen this before. We are taught about the earth’s tilt  and how
it causes summer and winter and have had to imagine just what is going on.

With this 24 hour observation of aircraft travel on the earth’s surface we get
to see the daylight pattern move as well.

 

The national focus is healthcare and Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal last week jumped headlong into the debate.  Jindal says the President’s plan will cost trillions, and he offers his own proposal he says will cost nothing.  Burt is really just “Jindal lite?”Â  And if these ideas are so good, why hasn’t the Governor implemented them in Louisiana?  Jim’s new column explores the different approaches taken by the Prez and the guy who ap0parently wants to be Prez.  You can read Jim’s analysis now by Clicking Here.

So I’m walkin’ into the Whole Foods in Baton Rouge over the weekend, and there sits this musician, a guy with 5 or 6 instruments, just singing and playing for all he’s worth.  He wore an Italian gondolier’s flared back hat with a feather in it, and royally entertained the crowd all afternoon.  His name is Garrett “Doc” McCutchan and he is quite an institution around this area.  You know me.  I couldn’t resist grabbing my video camera and visiting with Doc as you can watch below.

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Possible US Senate candidate in Louisiana and porn star Stormy Daniels make be getting a little apprehensive about her future political career.  Her campaign manager, political consultant Brian Welch, had his car bombed this week.  Completely destroyed.  Stormy thinks it’s no coincidence and quite suspicious.  Has Louisiana politics become that dangerous?  Take a look at the full report below.  And the Washington Post this week reports that the attorney for the DC Madam, Deborah Jeane Palfrey, is asking that all court documents be made public.  Sen. David Vitter is supposedly mentioned in these documents.  See story by Clicking Here.

 

In an op-ed this week in Politico, Gov. Bobby Jindal panned the federal stimulus funding  as “a nearly trillion-dollar stimulus that has not stimulated.” Yet as Think Progress, Bayou Buzz and other on-line sources were quick to point out, a sizable portion of the money the governor is doling out during his “Louisiana Working” tour is federal stimulus money. You’d never know it. The photo-op checks are emblazoned with “State of Louisiana – Office of the Governor.” No mention of the source of the funding. “Despite the fact that the checks contain millions of dollars of Recovery Act funds for job training programs, housing assistance programs, homelessness prevention programs, police training, criminal justice technology upgrades, and community development block grants,” TP reports, “Jindal has been printing his own name on the checks and taking credit for the money.”

 

Well it looks like the Republicans have a major Democratic opponent next year for incumbent David Vitter.  Congressman Charlie Melancon has all but announced he is running for Vitter’s seat. The mudslinging has begun early as the National Republican Senate campaign committee knows they have their hands full re electing Vitter.  The Senator actually may have more of a problem with challenges in his own party as rumors continue to spread of interest by both Secretary of State Jay Dardenne and Gov. Bobby Jindal’s name keeps popping up..  But in the meantime, any serious Democrat will see a slew of negative ads in the months to come.  The election is a little over a year away.Irrefutable proof that irony knows no ideological stripes: the Vitter camp brands Melancon with the dreaded L word in a new TV spot titled “Liberal LuvFest.” That Vitter, whose proverbial collar still bears the lipstick smears of his brush with the D.C. Madam, would use the term LuvFest in attacking Melancon has no doubt raised some eyebrows inside and outside the Beltway. The spot, set to a cheeky, big band soundtrack and depicting Melancon as a bobble-head doll vacationing at Martha’s Vineyard and enjoying the quid, the pro and the quo of support for the Obama agenda, leverages the lexicon of the right’s smear lingo: “big-spending,” “big labor,” “trial attorneys,” “Obama,” and, of course, liberal use of “liberal.” Thankfully, Melancon does not appear to pal around with terrorists. “Sure is swell when you’re a liberal-loving, Obama-endorsing congressman,” the announcer opines jeeringly, mispronouncing the congressman’s name M’LAHN-saw. Louisiana Democratic Party spokesman Kevin Franck issued the following response to the Vitter ad: “In contrast to the kind of luvfest David Vitter is used to, this trip was legal, public and no money changed hands. As we all remember, the last time David Vitter made public comments about a ‘luvfest’ he ended up begging for forgiveness.”  

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The Louisiana Governor seemed to be getting all the attention this past weekend in Biloxi at the National Governors’ Conference.  But Bobby Jindal was a no show, right?  So who got all the attention?  Jim brown gives a firsthand observation that you will hear or read no place else.  He was there and saw the Louisiana governor in action and first hand. Check out his new column on Jindal and a possible opponent now posted.  You can read it by Clicking Here.

 

 

There is all this new lingo in national politics.  Remember “Getting Borked” and of course the “Hanging chads?” We won’t forget “Lipstick on a pit bull.”Â  But the latest is a “wise Latina,” two words that have been repeated ad nauseam since the middle of May, when the record of Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor began to be picked apart.  I have grave concerns about the Judge and wrote about them in this week’s column.  Her failure to properly deal with the case of the appeal from an innocent man raises, in my mind, serious questions about her competency to ascend to the Supreme Court. You can read of the judge’s seriously questionable decision to keep an innocent man in jail by Clicking Here.  Read over my column now posted, and look at the video below that tells a tragic story involving judge Sotomayor.  Then take the poll on the left and let us know how you feel about Sotomayor’s qualifications.  You can read the column by Clicking Here.

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I had this really weird dream last night.  I mean really, really weird.  It involved me (of course), sharks, Bobby Jindal and Stormy Daniels.  Can you believe the Governor and I are in a video with Stormy?  Now where did all that come from?  So  take a look at tell me if you can figure it out.

While in Italy for the G8 summit, President Barack Obama checked out the, er, sights.

The Prez should know you never look back, only forward.

Take a look at the video below.  I still think the Prez is “checkig out” the girl.  What do you think?

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(Thoughts on the guy who called himself “The King of pop.”)  During the past two weeks, we have heard reams of commentary about Michael Jackson, the victim.  That was the tone of numerous eulogies at his funeral He was  pictured as a victim of some mysterious stew of health maladies, public persecution, and secret sad nesses that, we were to understand, made this frail man-child shiver with fear.

With “Thriller” behind him, Jackson was 24. All that was required of him was to maintain credibility with his fans and continue making respectable albums. But rather than focusing on his music, Jackson began to obsess about his appearance. He altered his features, at first slightly, then eerily. His image-making began to shift, too. The sexy and charming young man on the covers of “Off the Wall” and “Thriller” was suddenly “Bad,” as the title of his next album insisted. Then he was “Dangerous,” as the next one claimed. It felt shrill and forced.

Jackson began to lose interest in his creative side altogether. He managed to release but two CDs of new material in the last 18 years of his life. He toured the world twice during that time, but somehow, besides a couple of shows in Hawaii, managed to miss the United States.. In the transfixing 2003 documentary “Living with Michael Jackson,” the star looks like nothing more than a latter-day Blanche DuBois, denying a sordid past and ultimately reality with a shake of his hair and a deranged titter. Jackson‘s tragedy was almost entirely self-made. Even his complaints about the press ring hollow. It’s hardly sporting to complain about the dogs he unleashed for nosing around the spectacle he quickly became.All of these realities are ignored by the victim talk. It’s a cover for a terrible waste, and a lost chance to reflect on how not to live one’s life. Michael Jackson was older than Elvis when he died, but he died the same way: alone with the one person who could have saved him. 

 

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Last week in my column, I pointed out the stumbling blocks encountered by La. Gov. Bobby Jindal since his less than stellar response to the President’s State of the Union speech in February.  I promised this week to set out some concrete ideas to get Jindal some national attention, and keep him in the GOP hunt.  He has missed the boat in not playing on his strengths.  The Economist Magazine asked this week:  “What Happened to Bobby Jindal?”Â (Read Here) What can Jindal do to get back on track?  Check out this week’s column by Clicking Here.

 

 I’m tryin’ my best to learn to play the fiddle, but it’s obvious I have a long, long way to go.  What progress I have made is because of a good teacher, Mitch Reed.  He plays both fiddle and bass with world renowned zydeco group, Beau Soleil.  Below is my visit with Mitch and beyond is some Beau Soleil sounds.

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Over many political campaigns, a must stop on your way to Lafayette was Crawfish Town, USA, in Henderson.    I dropped in for lunch this week, and had the chance to look back and some bizarre events that took place here.  You can check it all out in the video below.

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 Is there national life left for Louisiana’s Gov. Bobby Jindal?  Many national columnists and political observers have written him off after was generally considered a disastrous nationwide introduction when he bombed on his response to the president’s State of the Union speech this past February.  But other Republican contenders seem to be dropping like flies.  (Can you say Gov. Mark Sanford?)  So what can Jindal do to resurrect himself?  Jim takes a look in this week’s column.  You can read it now by Clicking Here.  And for a chuckle, check out the Bobby Jindal video below that gives reaction to his now famous “Mr. Rogers” speech.

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I was in North Carolina all last week (so cold I built a fire at night) and was part of an interesting and troubling discussion of the dramatic demise of LSU.  I share a few thoughts here from the mountains about how the rest of the country views our flagship university’s financial troubles and overall direction .  You can take a listen and draw your own conclusions below.

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The Louisiana Legislature just complete  a not so memorable legislative session that is being panned by newspapers all over Louisiana for the missed opportunities to reform, the failure to address any long range planning ,and the lack of leadership coming from Governor Bobby Jindal.  Some feel the legislative session was exemplified by a rap singer taking the microphone on the last day to sing a rather suggestive song.   For a listing of editorials and columns about the mediocre legislative session, Click Here.  And see the “Hurricane Chris” off the wall video below as the session wound down.

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