To many, the Obama Administration seems to be obsessed with undermining personal freedoms and spying on its citizens. Calls are coming from members of congress and a variety of outside conservative leaning groups for a special prosecutor to be named.  Personal freedoms are under attack and government snooping seems to be at an all time high.  But is it?  These same groups, including the Tea Party and the media like the Associated Press showed little concern when the so-called Patriot Act was enacted right after 9/11.  I suppose it all comes down to whose ox is being gored.  Both the Bush and Obama administrations have shown contempt for many of the freedoms our forefathers fought for and that are basic guarantees in the Constitution.  Check out my new column that discussed this troubling problem. You can read it now by Clicking on the Red Flashing Box above or by Clicking Here.

And  take a look at the video  below.  It portrays a scathing speech from Congressman Mike Kelly over the ineptitude and collusion of the I.R.S.

The news media and number of politically connected organizations are outraged that the Obama administration for invading their privacy. And they have good reason to be. If there is any doubt about our liberty, our privacy and basic freedoms that could be under attack, the last few weeks show a real erosion of what we take to be basic rights under the U.S. Constitution.  But come on now.  Where was all this outrage over the past 10 years?  On Sunday’s show, we will question all these members of Congress who voted for the Patriot Act that allows the federal government to do exactly what is been going on. So why are they complaining?

We will also talk about Internet gambling. Should we open up the doors for anyone to gamble on their computer? Prof. John Warren Kindt, from the University of Illinois, will join us to talk about the dangers, and the social effects of allowing gambling anytime day or night, and all across the world.

And finally, how well do you speak Spanish?  And can you hade traveling without any foreign language background?  Mark Frobose is the leading language expert in America today. We’ll talk about your needs like to have a language background. His website is www.languageaudiobook.com.  So join us for a lively Weekend Show.

Members of Congress of the nation’s capital seem almost obsessed with passing new criminal laws.  Are there that many crimes in the U.S?  And any of the federal crimes seem to be punitive, arbitrary and bewildering.  Harvard law professor William Stuntz puts it this way: “We are coming even closer to living in a country where laws on the books makes everybody a felon, and prosecutors get to decide what the law is and who has violated it.”

Our representatives in Washington now want to delve into any number of local crimes, flaunting the intention of our country’s founders.  Drugs, robbery, car theft, the list goes on and on.  What happened to the 14th amendment and states rights?  John Rutherford, with the Rutherford Institute eloquently talks about how we are being over-run by intrusions of the federal government.  Take a look.  And you can read my thoughts on way too many federal laws in a past column by Clicking Here.

Clicking Here.

If you have never had the chance to see comedian Kathy Griffin perform, you will have missed, well, quite an experience. She blew in to Baton Rouge last week, and yours truly had nice visit with America’s controversial and somewhat foul-mouthed sweetheart. Kathy is a two-time Emmy winner, NY Times bestselling author, fiver-time Grammy nominee, Broadway darling, and a multi-faceted performer with rapid-fire wit. She has been making audiences laugh for years discussing Hollywood gossip and celebrity blunders. And yes, she is quite off color in her routine. But she is really funny.  You can check her out on the Jay Leno show below.
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Does it bother you that you are getting a little older? As the years have passed, do you look back on the highs and lows of what you considered to be a productive life?  And would you really change anything if you had it to do all over again?  Hey, it’s my birthday this week, and, yes, I have gotten a little older.  So I reflected a good bit in this week’s column.  When does a person consider himself or herself being old?  I don’t.  But time does have a way of giving you a wake up call every now and then. Take a look at my new column and see how age might have affected you.  The column is available now by going t the Red Flashing Box above, or by Clicking Here.

We are ready for the radio weekend, with the top lineup of topics and guests.  This whole terrible Cleveland kidnapping offense gets murkier and murkier. Public officials and the press are having a day one one-upping each other in printing and sending out salacious new facts or alleged facts.  Psychologist Dr. Bart Rossi will join us to discuss some of the tough questions that need to be addressed.  How do the teens held for years in a Cleveland home re-assimilate into society?  How do they deal with their anger? What about their captors? What makes them do what they are charged with doing?  We will look at all these issues.  Check out Dr. Rossi’s website by Clicking Here

And did the FBI drop the ball when it came to stopping the Boston Bomber?  It looks like 9/11 redux as Russia warned the FBI but little follow-up was done.  Is it time for a shake up in the agency as well as the Department of Homeland security?

On a lighter note, how well do you handle getting old?  It was my birthday this week (see this week’s column by Clicking Here), and perhaps you can identify with some of the things I have experienced.  So tune in for a lively weekend program.  We will see you on the radio.

Almost every weekend, the Red Dragon Listening Room has a great concert for those of us living in the Baton Rouge area. I’m a regular there, and owner Chris Maxwell just holds me a front row seat. I’m always surprised at the talent that comes through this part of the country. This past Saturday, I have the great pleasure of taking in the Will Kimbrough concert.  Will is from Nashville, a really great guitar player, and has toured with the likes of Jimmy Buffett, Rodney Crowell, Emmylou Harris, and many other country cross over singers.  One of my favorites by Will is “Goodnight Moon” heard below.  You can read all about Will and his music by Clicking Here.

Automobile Dealer and business magnate Gerry Lane reached the pinnacle of success in the South by building one of the largest automobile dealerships in the country.  He began from humble beginnings in the dustbowl of Oklahoma, and then went to California where he learned how to sell cars. And boy could he sell those vehicles.  At the end of his career, his business had produced over $10 Billion in sales.  He was truly an American Success story.  I say “was,” because Gerry died this week.  He fought cancer for more than 20 years, and it finally caught up with him.  My company, The Lisburn Press, recently published a best selling book on his life.  He donated more than $30 million to civic endeavors, and was one of the most respected guys around.  We will all miss Gerry Lane.

The Boston bombing caused so much damage, that it is really hard to comprehend. We have seen individual photos in the newspapers. But the attached below is chilling, heartbreaking, gut wrenching, and a horrible, terrible tragedy. Some of these photos are quite graphic, so caution should be used in showing them to young children. But this is life in a completely different world we live in today. If you feel up to it, take a look.  To see these videos, Click Here.   And also a graphic video below.

BIG BANKS NEED STRONGER REGULATION

 The Big Megabanks took taxpayers to the cleaners in 2008 accepting some $700 billion in federal funds and claiming they were way to big to fail.  But has anything really changed.  Nary a Wall Street Banker was convicted in the bailout fiasco, and many think the same old, same old is still taking place in the big bank community.  Stepping up to the plate with a new proposal are two U.S. Senators, who have offered ideas that are worth considering.  Ohio’s Sherrod Brown and Louisiana’s David Vitter are on the right track.  I’ve worked with each of them on problem solving in the past.  Take a look at my new column that tries to make sense of these big banks who want to say too big to fail.  You can read it now by going to the Red Flashing Box above, or by Clicking Here.

It’s radio weekend time, and we have a full and packed schedule of issues to talk about this weekend.  We will begin with a follow-up on the Boston Bomber killings and review new developments.  According to new sources, the FBI had been watching the killers for months.  So what happened and why the law enforcement breakdown?  Join us to talk about it.

What if you were falsely accused of committing a crime. Would you consider plea-bargaining, even if you were not guilty? To avoid the hardship, the massive attorney Geese, and just get over? We will have Michelle Gesse join us to tell a compelling story about her new book, “What if you were falsely accused of committing a crime. Would you consider plea-bargaining, even if you were not guilty? To avoid the hardship, the massive attorney Geese, and just get over? We will have Michelle Gesse join us to tell a compelling story about her new book, “ A Difficult Bargain: How to Think About Plea Bargains If You’ve Been Falsely Accused of a Crime.”

We will have several bankers join us to talk about proposed legislation in Congress to put into place new regulations to keep the megabanks from failing.  Our interviews will be a follow up to this week’s column now posted.  And since we always try to keep our listeners healthy, nutrition expert Doug Ingoldsby will talk about everyday stress in our lives, and healthy ways o deal with it.  So a lively show for all..  Please join us.  We wlll see you on the radio!

Educators and those interested in educational reform from all over the south converged in Baton Rouge last week for a major educational seminar.  Former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice was one of the headliners, along with daughter Campbell.  Her comments were hard hitting and she passionately gave her views of what is holding many states back when it comes to educational reform.  You can check out her comments below.

As many of you who read this site know, I’m a big fan of the Red Dragon Listening Room here in my hometown of Baton Rouge. Musical entrepreneur Chris Maxwell really does a yeoman’s job of bringing in great musical acts with the likes of Rosanne Cash, Guy Clark, Jerry Jeff Walker, Billy Joe Shaver, Keith Sykes, and Rodney Crowell. One of my favorites is Chicago bred Robbie Fulks, who performed at the Dragon this past Friday night. Robbie is an incredible songwriter, a wonderful performer, a very funny fellow and an all-around good guy. He has built a remarkable career by zigging when people expect him to zag. To put it lightly, he travels to the beat of a different drum……in a very cool way. Check out his song, “Let’s Kill Saturday Night” below.

THE BOMBER, MIRANDA AND THE CONSTITUTION!

 The Boston Bomber looks about as guilty as you can get, yet some people are calling for him to be fully protected by his constitutional rights.  Constitutionals rights?  Isn’t it an open and shut case? Why does he deserve any protections? In fact, many others think a military court should try him as a terrorist.  Yes, he is a naturalized American citizen.  Should that matter?  I raise some sticky and, quite frankly, some uncomfortable questions in this week’s column about just how important is the constitution of the United States in tis case.  Take a look and see if you agree.  You can read the column now by clicking on the Red Flashing Box above, or by Clicking Here.

So you are a woman feels it necessary to carry a gun, and in many parts this country, it just makes good common sense. Here’s the question? When do you keep your gun? Do you have to carry a purse wherever you go? Thee are some options’ that may work a lot better. Take a look at the video below.

Are you a jump roper? I have jump rope to stay in shape most of my life. I’ve slowed down a bit with bad knees, but I still try to use a rope whenever I can in my workouts.  But no matter how long most of us work to do it, we will never come close to the young lady in the video below. Man, can she use that rope.  I guess I’m more like the guy in the picture above.  Take a look.

HOW DO WE RESPOND TO MORE TERRORISM?

 There are trade-offs when you live in a democracy. By the nature of an open government, the populace certainly will be more vulnerable than in a more restrictive form of government.  But none of us want such restrictions.  So as terrible as it may seem, we have to try to minimize, but also to deal with the Auroras, the Sandy Hooks, and now the terrible tragedy that just took place in Boston.  Are violent terrorist attacks on the up rise in the U.S?  Take a look at my new column and see if you agree with my views.  You can read the column now by hitting the Red Flashing Box above, or by Clicking Here.

What a news week. The terrible tragedy in Boston, the gun control debate in Washington, immigration reform on the front burner, many states are struggling to stay afloat financially, and deep concerns about terrorism all over America. We will cover all these topics on the “Common Sense” program.

In this era of continuing constitutional challenges on any number of issues, how would the first president, George Washington, handle so many of these crises? And is it really fair to compare what’s happening in America today to the time of the founding fathers? Times were different then. Does that make a difference of how we interpret the Constitution? Dr. Logan Beirne has written a fascinating book called blood of tyrants, about how George Washington forged his presidency. We will put many of these questions about Washington directly to him. You can find out for information about his book by Clicking Here.

And finally, Dr. Kate Tulenko will join us to talk about immigration, and the fact that many Americans are losing their jobs to high-value immigrants in the medical field. Her new book, “How Importing Jobs Impacts the Health Crisis Here and Abroad,” points out this problem, and you can find out more by Clicking Here.  See you on the radio!

Hey folks, you better keep your guard up when you go to McDonald’s. It can really be a rowdy place. I never thought it would get this rowdy. Man, if I see a couple ladies like this going after one another, along with the confrontations of those behind the counter being this defensive and with all the foul language, well, I want to get out the door. Take a look at see what you think? Be careful, because there is some pretty rough language.

Is there something exquisitely special about New Orleans? Of course there is, and wherever you live in the country, you know it. That is, in the private sector.  Jazz, food, artists, writers, and creative young people moving in to the Crescent City in record numbers.  But, unfortunately, the city that care forgot has a criminal legal system that is completely out of whack.  Remember the movie with Nicholas Cage called Bad Lieutenant Port of New Orleans?  Cage is a crooked cop, and at one point tells his partner to ‘Shoot him again.”  Why, he’s dead,” says the other cop. Cage says: “His soul is still dancing.”  It would seem that the justice system is bleeding the city to death.  Killing its soul if you will.  Take a look at my column on this great cities’ tragedy.  You can read it now by Clicking on the Red Flashing Box above, or by Clicking Here. And take a look at this shocking video of the New Orleans prison system below.