READING IN UNCERTAIN TIMES!

Friday, July 23rd, 2020

Baton Rouge, Louisiana

                                              READING IN UNCERTAIN TIMES!

 If you’re a book publisher like me, and want to sell a lot of books, there’s no better time than during a pandemic. Book sales have been high for months, particularly the big box stores like Walmart, Target, Costco, as well as bookstores nationwide. Some of the titles published by The Lisburn Press have sales that have tripled in recent months.  If you’re stuck inside, what better way to pass time by reading a book.

 I can’t remember a time when I wasn’t carrying around something to read.  The luck of the draw gave me parents who surrounded my siblings and me with books, storytelling, poems, and lengthy letters when we were away from home.  I was immersed in words, and books gave me a special outlet to deal with aspirations, doubts, and a wide range of emotions. I had notes and rhymes taped to my class notepads. Early on it was Dr. Seuss:

The more that you read

the more things you will know

the more that you learn

the more places you will go.

 As I grew older, I would shudder at the thought of waiting somewhere and not having something to read. Today, I would not even consider making an appointment for medical treatment, renew a driver’s license, arrive at an airport, even wait for a table at a restaurant without a book or newspaper in my hip pocket. Maybe that’s why I love baseball so much.  There is a lot of down time between innings and even between batters when I can sneak in a page or two. I get itchy if I’m waiting anywhere for more than three or four minutes. Why didn’t I bring along something to read?

A few years back, Baton Rouge had a very minor league baseball team, the River Bats that played at Goldsby Field, a small baseball arena close to the present Louisiana governor’s mansion.  I had season tickets on the first-row right behind home plate, and the average attendance was generally around seventy-five to a hundred fans.  Supplied with a large box of popcorn, a cold beer, and an arm full of newspapers I had saved up, I relished several hours of reading and light entertainment.

I’ve had front row LSU basketball season tickets for over forty years. The local paper printed a picture of me reading a novel during one such game, and shortly after I received a call from LSU Coach Dale Brown.  He’s an old friend, but he implored me to be more diplomatic in pulling out reading material while the game is going on.

Am I judgmental? Absolutely.  Maybe I don’t judge a book by its cover, but I never hesitate to judge a person by what current book if any, they are reading. A bibliophile snob?  I certainly am.  But please don’t tell that to any of my numerous non-reading friends. I try to be diplomatic, and would rather not, well, make them angry.

I rarely discard any of my book collection, much to my wife’s chagrin. Oh, I’ll give a book to a friend if they ask me for a recommendation for something to read.  I intentionally keep a few extra copies of a favored novel just for that purpose.

Books offer both a barrier and a response to calamity in our lives. There is no better example than in the country of Iceland, where there is 100% literacy and some 10% of the population have actually written books.  With such frigid weather, most Icelanders opt to read regularly all year long. So with the pandemic keeping most of us in doors, why not curl up with a good book, and keep a diary.  Who knows?  You might end up on the book best seller lists.

Peace and Justice

Jim Brown

Jim Brown’s syndicated column appears each week in numerous newspapers throughout the nation and on websites worldwide.  You can read all his past columns and see continuing updates at http://www.jimbrownusa.com. 

CAMPAIGN CONTRIBUTIONS AND JUDGES!

Thursday, July 30^th, 2020

Baton Rouge, Louisiana

CAMPAIGN CONTRIBUTIONS AND JUDGES!

Is Louisiana a judicial hellhole where decisions by state judges are influenced by campaign contributions?  Apparently, the Louisiana legislature and business lobbying groups think so. In the recent legislative session, laws were passed taking away the authority of state judges to make decisions involving small claims above $10,000.  Evidently elected judges often do not make fair decisions.  Or at least that what insurance companies and other business groups want you to believe.

Under the new law signed by Governor Edwards, Louisiana’s threshold for jury trials will drop from from $50,000 to $10,000. What this means is that insurance companies can demand a jury trial for even smaller collision cases where no injuries are involved.  Jury trials for reduced claims means the cost of bringing a lawsuit will significantly increase.

Insurance lobbyists argue that “auto claim disputes in the state presently heard before elected judges, providing opportunity to shop for favorable venues for frivolous cases.”  The implication is that elected judges receive campaign contributions, and are influenced in their decisions by plaintiff lawyers who contribute.  If this is the case, then why didn’t the legislature address such judicial favoritism?

Can campaign contributions accepted by those seeking to step up to the bench and wear black robes influence a judge’s decisions?  To many observers, such contributions pose a great problem for those who want impartiality.

Even if a judge swears not to be swayed by campaign contributions, there is a real perception problem here. Let’s face it — lawyers who practice before elected judges are often the prime source of campaign contributions. And too often, vested interests that have a case pending before an elected judge are significant sources for the same campaign contributions.  So how do you deal with the conflicts, or the perception of such, when it comes to campaign funds?

The majority of voters in Louisiana want more accountability, and would like to have judicial candidates pass by them for approval on a regular basis. But how do you deal with the conflicts, or the perception of such, when it comes to campaign funds?

There’s an easy way to accomplish this goal. In most jurisdictions, it doesn’t even require an act of the legislature. Louisiana, and most other states could, by their own court rules, require that a judge recuse him or herself from ruling on any case where either the attorney, the attorney’s law firm, or a party to the case has made a campaign contribution to this judge. Prohibit the campaign dollars, and the public gets a much better chance of seeing both impartial decisions rendered, and having a system in place where there is a clear perception that both sides are getting a fair shake.

Some will argue that appointing rather than electing judges the way to go in Louisiana. But this raises the question — who will do the picking? To paraphrase Huey Long, “I’m all for appointin’ judges as long as I get to do the appointin’.” After all, most appointed judges receive their job through the good ole’ boy network. It’s not what you know, but who you know, and few get these plumb appointments for life without being well plugged in to the political system. So those who sanctimoniously talk about the politics involved in electing judges are turning a blind eye to the heavy-handed politics of an appointed system.

If legislators on the state level want to see an immediate improvement in the perception of the state judicial system, changing the rules of raising campaign funds will be an important first step. Oh, there will be some hollering from some who sit on the bench. But on balance, it is a solution that merits some review. And it is a lot better system than lifetime appointments where the guys and gals in black robes show a disdain for both scrutiny and accountability.

Peace and Justice

Jim Brown

Jim Brown’s syndicated column appears each week in numerous newspapers throughout the nation and on websites worldwide. You can read all his past columns and see continuing updates at http://www.jimbrownusa.com.

THE LOSS OF CHEF PAUL AND HIS RESTAURANT!

Friday, July 16^th, 2020

Baton Rouge, Louisiana

THE LOSS OF CHEF PAUL AND HIS RESTAURANT!

Cajun cuisine has always been unique, delightfully spicy, and thoroughly enjoyable for those that live or visit South Louisiana. But for many years, it was always a local thing. That all changed with the arrival of Chef Paul Prudhomme in the 1980s.  He became an internationally known superstar chef who brought the taste of Cajun and creole cooking worldwide.

Chef Paul died in 2015 at the age of 75.  But his love of Louisiana flavors continued in his restaurant on Charter Street in New Orleans call K Paul’s. My family has enjoyed many meals there, where the restaurant continued the tradition of using Louisiana produce and meats to create an exquisite and unique taste.

I met Chef Paul in the early 1970s when he was just beginning as a cook in several New Orleans restaurants.  My friend an long time Army buddy Frank Davis, a well-known outdoor sportsman, hosted a weekend food show on WWL radio in New Orleans. I had written a cookbook on country cookin’ (“Jim Brown’s World-Famous Squirrel Stew and other Country Recipes”), so Frank made me a regular on his Saturday morning program. That’s where I met Chef Paul.

He was always full of funny Cajun stories. One of my favorites was Paul telling about how Cajuns will eat about anything. He told me of stopping at a small country general store for something to drink. An older Cajun was on the front porch stirring a large kettle.  “Whatcha cookin,” Paul asked. The old fellow told Paul he was cooking a gumbo.

What kind of gumbo?” Paul continued.  “A hawk gumbo,” the old fellow said.  “Well, what’s a hawk gumbo taste like?” Paul asked.

“About like an owl gumbo” the fellow told him, then Paul would burst out laughing.

I went on to host a New Orleans based cable television program during the 1990s, and Chef Paul was a regular.  He talked about the wonderful taste of red fish, that was considered a trash fish at that time Louisiana. He started a national craze, with his recipe blackened redfish, that is still is a staple all over the country today. 

Chef Paul who weighed over 300 pounds, would come on my tv show and cook up a roux; a gravy base that is basic to Cajun cooking. He always included what he called the holy trinity of spices; onion, celery, and bell pepper. I asked Paul why his flavors seemed so extra tasty. He told me, “You know how most chefs use 98.6% butterfat, Jim? Well I use 99.8%.” 

Paul loved Louisiana politics, and often was there to roast other politicians at various fundraisers around the state. He could entertain for hours with his stories of growing up in rural St. Landry Parish as one of 13 kids.  Paul’s sister still runs a Cajun restaurant in Opelousas carrying on the family cooking tradition.

Chef Paul went onto write a number of cookbooks, and created his special brand of spices that are now sold worldwide.  His name and Cajun culinary traditions have been carried on for years after his death at K Paul’s Kitchen restaurant in the French Quarter.  But now it has closed for good.

The larger than life and always smiling chef will be a part of Louisiana’s cooking lore for many years to come.  Many Prudhomme fans like me will miss his restaurant, his cooking and of course the big guy himself. Hats off to a special Louisianan, Chef Paul.

Peace and Justice

Jim Brown

Jim Brown’s syndicated column appears each week in numerous newspapers throughout the nation and on websites worldwide.  You can read all his past columns and see continuing updates at http://www.jimbrownusa.com. 

HIGH AUTO INSURANCE RATES TO CONTINUE?

Thursday, July 9th, 2020

Baton Rouge, Louisiana

HIGH AUTO INSURANCE RATES TO CONTINUE?

Did you hear the news? The Louisiana legislature has passed new laws that will dramatically reduce your automobile insurance rates.  By 25% says the insurance commissioner. And by the end of the year. Wow! I can hardly wait to spend my savings. Well, don’t hold your breath.

When political courage wanes and politicians search for a quick fix to age-old problems, they often seek out a scapegoat to blame. “Passing the buck” on someone else is standard operating procedure at the state legislature in Baton Rouge.  A number of new laws, all proposed by the insurance industry, make it more difficult for policyholders to sue in court.

Under the old law, any lawsuit with an award that can exceed $50,000 requires a jury trial. The problem for those who are injured and decide to sue is that they face drastically higher costs for jury trials, which have to be paid up front.  Insurance company attorneys can beat them down with piles of motions all related to picking a jury.

Anderson Cooper on CNN has done a series of reports (all available online) about how the nation’s top auto instance companies purposely drag out jury trials in an effort to wear down — financially and physically — those damaged in auto accidents.  Many insurance departments turn the other way to this calculated effort by the insurance industry to lessen the amount they have to pay out.

 In a recent study by the U.S Chamber of Commerce’s Institute of Legal Reform showed that Louisiana is within the national average when it comes to per capita cost of lawsuits involving auto accidents.  So lawsuits are a minor part of why Louisiana has such high insurance rates.  There are many other reasons why costs of auto insurance are so high in the Bayou State.

State Farm has ballyhooed the fact that they’re dropping their rates 9.6%. But hundreds of thousands of drivers who the company insures are not driving that much because of COVID-19.  So there are a much fewer number of claims and the company is still making a big profit.

In most states, insurance companies have to submit rate increases to the insurance department for prior approval.  Bloomberg Business Week reported recently that in California, auto insurance rates dropped significantly.  Why? Because all rate increases have to be approved by the insurance department.  So when insurance companies are allowed to raise their own rates without pre-approval, like in Louisiana, rates go up.  When pre-approval is required, rates are much less than in the Bayou State.

In summary, legislators and insurance officials have turned a blind eye to a variety of problems in the auto insurance field that have caused Louisianans to pay the highest rates in the nation. Much easier to just blame the lawyers and the judicial system.  Here is a list of problems ignored by the legislature, and are significant factors in why our insurance rates are so high in Louisiana.

Worst drivers in the nation as reported by CarInsranceComparison.com? 

Rampant drunk driving where drivers have recently been cited for 7^th and 8^th DWIs? 

Louisiana has one of the nation’s highest number of uninsured drivers, many who are illegal immigrants. Laws on the books require that cars of uninsured drivers be impounded, laws that are rarely enforced.  

Forbes Magazine reports that Louisiana is a bottom level state for infrastructure — bad roads and poor safety.  

Catch my drift?  There are a barrel of reasons why Louisiana leads the nation in high auto insurance rates.  It’s going to take a concentrated effort by legislators, the governor and insurance officials to put a comprehensive program in place that will cause rates to go down.  Looking for quick fixes by blaming lawyers, judges or any one group is disingenuous and will do little to address what has become a financial crisis for many drivers in Louisiana.

 So don’t count on any premium reduction soon.  Much more needs to be done.  

“Both terrorism and insurance sell fear — and business is business”

― Liam McCurry

Peace and Justice

Jim Brown

Jim Brown’s syndicated column appears each week in numerous newspapers throughout the nation and on websites worldwide.  You can read all his past columns and see continuing updates at http://www.jimbrownusa.com. 

TOO MUCH POLITICAL CORRECTNESS IN LOUISIANA!

Thursday, July 2^nd, 2020

Baton Rouge, Louisiana

TOO MUCH POLITICAL CORRECTNESS IN LOUISIANA!

I don’t know about you, but I sure am confused about all this current debate over gender equity, gay rights, and transgenders, especially with new rulings by the U.S. Supreme Court.  I keep reading in the newspaper about LGBT. I had to look up the lettering to even know what the abbreviation means. Being “politically correct” has become an obsession with much of the country as well as right here at home in Louisiana.

Now personally, I don’t have a dog in this hunt. Carry on your personal lifestyle as long as you don’t interfere with my way of life or my personal freedoms. Live and let live. But too often today, one lifestyle interferes with that of another. If a baker is in business to make a living, why turn down anyone who wants a cake baked for his or her wedding? On the other hand, if it’s a gay wedding and the baker refuses to bake a wedding cake, why would the gay couple want to do business with someone they consider bigoted?

And this whole transgender bathroom thing? How did transgenders go to the bathroom for the past 100 years? I never really check out someone using the stall next to me. And why all the need for separate men and women’s bathrooms in the first place? Many restaurants in Louisiana have one bathroom for either sex to use. Have you gone to a sporting event and seen a long line for women and none for men? Architects ought to be more creative in designing safe and clean restrooms that can be more efficiently shared by everyone.

In Natchitoches Parish just before Christmas, a school principal was suspended for allowing a student-led prayer to take place. There was no sponsorship by the school. The students were just allowed to pray. But this wasn’t politically correct in this day and age. Kids can pray under their breath but not out loud? Nonsense!

I wanted to order the wonderful Disney film “Song of the South” recently to watch with my grandchildren. Remember all those enticing songs like “Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah” and “That’s What Uncle Remus Said?” Uncle Remus was an American Aesop, full of delightful stories (“Don’t throw me into the briar patch”). But the film has been out of circulation since 2000 because some critics say it glorifies slavery, even though the story takes place years after the Civil War. But not to offend anyone, so our kids miss out on a delightful tale of magical fables.

And for goodness sake, don’t attempt to bless anyone if they sneeze or for any other purpose. Up in New Hampshire, an election worker was fired for telling voters as they left the voting booth “God bless you.” It was supposedly a form of electioneering. I guess election officials were afraid a voter might have so disconcerted over the candidates running that they might go back into the voting booth and vote for the Good Lord instead.

A person can be sensitive to how others might feel without worrying that their every utterance may cause someone to take offense. Some of us feel it necessary to be more politically correct than do others. But a vibrant and strong country is only as courageous and agile as the sum of its parts.

I’m willing to go just so far to appease the P.C. crowd. Look, I’m a redneck, not someone who is rustically inclined. And we are always going to have hurricanes down here in Louisiana, not himmicanes. Sometimes, things are said where you take personal offense. But we can also go overboard by assuming a “victim mentality.” You can be polite, but in doing so, you don’t have to shy away from telling it like it is.

*******

“Being Politically Correct means always having to say you’re sorry.”

Charles Osgood

Peace and Justice

Jim Brown

Jim Brown’s syndicated column appears each week in numerous newspapers throughout the nation and on websites worldwide.  You can read all his past columns and see continuing updates at http://www.jimbrownusa.com.