President Biden has one more week as president to help bind up our nation’s wounds. America’s electorate is almost evenly divided by MAGA supporters and anti-MAGA supporters. Going to a favorite coffee shop or pub has taken on a certain ennui for many of us who used to look forward to seeing friends and discussing timely issues. What used to be lively and enlightening conversations has morphed into dreaded exercises in avoiding issues of substance. The nation’s political discourse has devolved from constructive give and take to animus. Important issues are currently not worth the disappointment to risk discussing. Leadership is needed to encourage us all to open our minds so we can face many … [Read More...] about Leadership
Gavel Gamut
Recent Articles
Predictions
It is the new year, a time when we humans have often either savored our accomplishments, reflected on our regrets, dreamed of our hopes or dreaded our fears. The new year has long been a time when people of many cultures have analyzed the past and predicted the future. As Yogi Berra might have said, the future is hard to predict. However, that has never stopped us from trying. As for me, I find regretting the past only makes it more regrettable and dreading the unknown future only leads to self-fulfilling prophecies. On the other hand, attempting to predict the as yet uncontrollable events ahead will probably do little harm as the world will ignore us anyway. Ergo, I will boldly, if … [Read More...] about Predictions
They Deserve A Special Place In ….
Gentle Reader, as we face a New Year my thoughts are ever hopeful we have learned something worthwhile from the years that have gone before us. I realize this has been the dream of most of you too. However, we all know there are those whose thoughts and behaviors never turn towards improvement, but in fact, are often the very things that need to be improved. The best example I know of placing such cretins where they deserve to be is The Divine Comedy (The Inferno) written by Dante degli Alighieri (1265-1321) in the 14th century. Dante did not just suffer the infuriating faux pas and social sins of people such as Dante's political enemies in Italy, he created an elaborate hell of deserved … [Read More...] about They Deserve A Special Place In ….
Presumed Mentally Ill
Luigi Mangione is presumed by the Manhattan New York District Attorney Alvin Bragg to have murdered United Healthcare Chief Executive Officer Brian Thompson and has had him indicted by a Grand Jury for First Degree Murder. If the state does not presume Mangione guilty, it should not have charged him. Of course, the generic legal system is supposed to presume Mangione innocent, good luck with that, but it’s a good theory. As for me, I know only what CNN, MSNBC and FOX News tell me about the case of December 04, 2024. Therefore, based on my experience with cable news, I conclude I should not presume anything except that Mr. Thompson was shot in the back by a masked person; after all, I have … [Read More...] about Presumed Mentally Ill
Suffer The Little Children
Some of you know and remember I recently was sent via the National Judicial College to work with judges in the country of Georgia that is located where the border of the Old Spice Trail used to be. Peg and I had an interesting and fulfilling time there and whether we taught the Georgian people anything worthwhile, we learned a great deal. One very happy and useful thing we learned was Georgians celebrate two Christmases. Because about half of the country dates the birth of Jesus using the Julian calendar, December 25th is Christmas for them. The other half recognizes the Gregorian calendar for the Nativity so they celebrate Christmas on January 07. The calendar established by Julius Caesar … [Read More...] about Suffer The Little Children
70 X 7
Peter eventually made it to the rank of saint; although he may have paid a heavy price for it. Peter was uncouth but Jesus stated he was the foundation of Jesus’ church. According to the New Testament, Jesus and Peter had many one-on-one conversations about theological matters, including forgiveness. In Matthew, Ch. 18, vs. 15-21, Peter asked Jesus, “Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? As many as seven times?” Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you seven times, but seventy times seven.” In other words, both Donald Trump and Hunter Biden are clothed with a robe of get out of jail free cards based on our Constitution’s Presidential Pardon Power. Oklahoma’s … [Read More...] about 70 X 7
Still A Winner
Gentle Reader, if you read last week’s Gavel Gamut column you know I predicted Indiana University would win last Saturday’s football game against Ohio State University; we didn’t. On the other hand, I.U. has already won 10 games this season and, I predict, I.U. will defeat Purdue November 30, 2024 in Bloomington, Indiana. I am ever hopeful when it comes to I.U. sports. O.S.U. played an excellent game. Their victory was not due to bad calls or untimely injuries or the weather. They just out played us in all phases of the game. However, we were competitive in the first half and evidenced the elements of a future Big Ten champion. Who knows? Next year? Five years from now? In my life-time? … [Read More...] about Still A Winner
O.S.U. 17; I.U. 24
Indiana University will beat Ohio State University in football Saturday – two days after the submission of this article. Yes, I still have faith in the Hoosiers! I base my prediction of the score on I.U.’s will to win and their discipline that will keep the Cream and Crimson’s penalties low and their turnover margin in their favor high. I have been an observer, and often a chagrinned one, of I.U. football since the autumn of 1963. Believe me I have known disappointment over the last 60 years. But this team of 2024 is not one of loss; it is one of destiny. Refusal to allow defeat in the grueling fourth quarter, maintenance of their extremely high emotions when O.S.U. loses control of theirs … [Read More...] about O.S.U. 17; I.U. 24
A Turn From The Right To The Right
According to CNN this morning, 13 November 2024, President-Elect Trump will nominate former Arkansas governor and Baptist minister, Mike Huckabee, to be United States Ambassador to Israel. Mr. Huckabee was quoted this morning as denying the existence of a Palestinian people, referring to Palestine as Canaan and Palestinians as Canaanites. As the Republican Party will almost certainly have the majority in both the Senate and the House of Representatives in 2025, Mr. Huckabee will likely be confirmed. United States foreign policy in the Middle East will likely continue to be one of aggressive support for Israel, as it has been since Israel was created out of Palestine in 1948. But, it may … [Read More...] about A Turn From The Right To The Right
The Sweet Science Revisited
For those few of you who might miss reading my weekly column, Gavel Gamut, I will point out to you that this past week I fractured my shoulder while working around JPeg Osage Ranch. I feel I must rely on past columns for a while, such as, those that have dealt with my interest in amateur boxing. The following column appeared the week of September 4, 2006 and involved Peg’s and my friend Ray Stallings from Burnt Prairie, Illinois. I will rerun it as it appeared almost 20 years ago. I hope you enjoy reading, or perhaps rereading it. “Amateur boxing has fewer fatalities and far fewer serious injuries per participant than high school baseball or football. It is a sport like wrestling where … [Read More...] about The Sweet Science Revisited
IU Wins
Indiana University football coach, Curt Cignetti, promised his team would win before he ever took the field in Bloomington, Indiana. He has been better than his word and as I write this column on Halloween, I boldly predict the Hoosiers will be 9-0 after they beat Michigan State 34 to 23 at East Lansing, Michigan the day after tomorrow. I realize both the score and the total outcome could be different than what I assert, but that’s why they call them predictions. I wish Coaches John Pont, Lee Corso and Tom Allen were going to be there to join in the celebration but I know they will be there with spirit and support; Peg and I certainly will be. As I have not been on campus as a student since … [Read More...] about IU Wins
Books
Unanimous for Murder
Live on Amazon.com and Kindle eBooks!
Unanimous for Murder picks up where JUDGE LYNCH! left off. A gripping story of small town murder and judicial shenanigans on the western frontier when the western frontier was east of the Mississippi.
Echoes of Our Ancestors: The Secret Game
Jim’s new novel tells the exciting story of a long hidden but important football game that occurred between representatives of Haskell Indian Institute (now the Haskell Indian Nations University) and professionals from the then Kansas City Cowboys in 1924 at a secret location on the Osage Indian Nation near Pawhuska, Oklahoma - where Jim was born.
JUDGE LYNCH!
“Judge Lynch Holds Court!” That was the banner headline in a Posey County, Indiana newspaper after seven African American men were murdered by a white mob during October, 1878.
See More...
Gavel Gamut Greetings from JPeg Ranch
“Gavel Gamut Greetings" is an anthology of topical and historical selections mainly about regional events and personalities that have appeared in my weekly newspaper column, Gavel Gamut.
See More...