Being the Change: How to Live Well and Spark a Climate Revolution by Peter Kalmus (2017)

This is a book written by JPL/ Cal Tech Professor and Altadena resident, Peter Kalmus. It is mostly about his personal efforts to combat climate change, which include composting, bicycling, and driving an old mercedes fueled by vegetable oil.

It is interesting to get a local perspective on it. I don't know for sure, but it seems he lives about a mile to the west. It is also interesting to me to see the similarities between his take on things and efforts and frugal living and various strains of Catholicism.

The Education of Brett Kavanaugh, an Investigation by Robin Pogrebin and Kate Kelly (2019)

Brett Kavanaugh is the Supreme Court Justice who was nominated in 2018 on a close party line vote after a contentious hearing in which a woman accused him of assaulting when he was in high school.  At the hearing, he did not admit the accusation but say it was when he was a kid. He did not say he couldn't remember or he may have blacked out. Instead, he denied it categorically.

I think it was that denial that gave investigative journalists the motivation to search out the truth.  This is the first such book out. 

It's not enitrely clear, as you might expect with an accusation of conduct dating back more than 30 years.  But I came away thinking it's more probable than not that he did it.  And the corollary is he probably lied when he denied it last year.  Also, he no longer conducts himself in a boorish manner. And finally, he is a very ambitious person who will do what it takes to get what he wants, which is a seat on the Supreme Court.

It's a good bit of work and interesting to see how they put it all together.

Legacy 10U Fall Ball Season Finale

James hit an inside the parker on the left side in his championship game in the Fall Pony 10U season. He led off the game by getting on top of a pitch

and bounced it up the middle that the shortstop almost but didn't quite stop with his face (and I was happy for both James and him)

and it rolled past the centerfielder

and went with the slope all the way to the wall,

But then the umpire came walking out, and I had worried he would call interference on me and take my son's home run because I had just evacuated the very spot where the ball came to rest...

But fortunately he just came out for a look and said nothing and a split second later my son crossed the plate

and then his teammates came out to mob him...

and for good measure he drove a pitch into left field his second time up for a single...

The team lost, but when a 10U team plays a team that is (or looks like) a 12U team, there's not much you can do.

After the game, the umpire came up to us to let us know he talked to James during the game. He told him that he needs to not be so cocky, as he's still learning and doesn't know much. James is a darn good ball player, he told us, but needs to be teachable to improve.

Roger Maris: Baseball's Reluctant Hero Paperback 2011 by Tom Clavin (Author), Danny Peary

This is the biography of Yankee Slugger, Roger Maris, one half of the M&M boys.  His claim to fame is hitting 61 home runs in '61.  The story focuses on his battles with the press during that year and after. 

the book helped me to build up my database on mid 20th Century pro baseball, which my son is really into. I can educate and prod him a little.