This Is What Happens When Your Wife Makes You Work In The Yard

We have enjoyed the wet cool Spring, but not as much as the flowers have. The flora is starting to get some good color. It is getting hotter now and we have been waiting for some warmth. We enjoy Nature's show.

Book of the Week

I read With the Old Breed this past week. Over the years I have read dozens of military history books. This particular volume by E. B. Sledge probably exudes the spirit and pathos of war from the perspective of a Marine Corps Private more than any I have ever read. I felt I could hear and smell the things going on during the battles of Peleliu and Okinawa. Anyone interested in the military and particularly WWII in the Pacific ought to read this book. You can find a bit of the biography of the author here. This story of men and horror is interlaced with realistic descriptions of battlefield encounters, with the politics of the time as understood by young Marines, and with the racial tension between the American GI and the Japanese soldier. This tension was palpable throughout the book with an apologetic tone as viewed with the passage of time. Sledge took notes when able during the battles on slips of paper, and outlined and refined the stories for a family history later in life. His family urged him to publish his book and we have this classic. You will not be sorry spending some of your time in this book.

What Hath Harvard Wrought or What Does A Cow Do?

This makes a point or at least helps the "small people" know what may be going on.

Card of the Week

The card of the week is an older card of John Roseboro, catcher for many years on the Dodgers. He replaced the legendary Roy Campanella on June 14,1957 as the starting catcher and then Campy was injured irreparably in the infamous accident the following January.

John was a solid catcher but certainly not spectacular, he would never be confused with a Johnny Bench or a Yogi Berra. He was great at handling the incredible Dodger pitching staff. The most infamous moment was the night of August 22, 1965 when he was whacked 3 times by future Hall of Famer Juan Marichal. Juan had brushed back some Dodger hitters, but Sandy Koufax was not willing to retaliate. If Drysdale had been on the mound he would have retaliated, no questions asked. Anyway Marichal alledges that Roseboro threw the return toss to the pitcher awfully close a couple of times and the third time he said Roseboro was throwing close to his nose. Of course, John denies all of this. But the fiery Dominican turned and clubbed Roseboro 3 times with the bat opening a nice, bloody two inch gash. It made a great picture on the sports page. Years later as Marichal was being denied entry into the Hall of Fame Roseboro wrote a letter to the Hall and the next year Juan Marichal was inducted. They became good friends after their careers and appeared often in Old Timers games at Dodger Stadium and around the league.

I thought this card had a cool design and the rear part of the card was unique for its time, at least in my memory.

Books of the Week

I read two books this week. Quirkology by Richard Wiseman and Son of Hamas by Mossab Hassan Yousef with Ron Brankin. I recommend them both. Yousef is now fighting extradition from the US because Homeland Security thinks he is a risk because he associated with Hamas. If you read the book you cannot help wonder who the knot heads are in Homeland Security. Read the book guys and see for yourself. Wiseman gives some really interesting stuff to think about and ponder, especially for a psychologist. He makes some good points and the chapters on humor are a riot. Happy reading.

Maybe I Don't Look As Old As I Am

I went into the Texas Roadhouse restaurant to buy a gift certificate for my Dad for Father's Day. One of the young ladies waiting on me at the cash register asked if it was for my Dad. I said yes and then asked, how old do you think I am. They decided I was about 40. Talk about making my day. I told them I was 55 and they didn't believe it. I had to produce my driver's license to assuage their curiosity and astonishment. You never know.

Summer Reading List for High School Grads and College Students

I offer this list of books that might be enlightening for the recent High School Graduate or the current college student. There is no particular order but I will put them in my preference.

America Alone by Mark Steyn. Written a couple of years ago, it is more prescient than ever and a must for anyone that wants to possibly understand the next 30 years of the world.

The Forgotten Man by Amity Shlaes. This is a remarkable volume on the history of the Great Depression and a fantastic analysis of how the Government influenced the length and pain of the Depression.

The War Against Boys by Christina Hoff Sommers. I would imagine this would be particularly interesting for the college coed who is wondering where all the men are in the world. The answer is There Aren't Very Many and Here is Why.

Nomad by Ayaan Hirsi Ali. All though she won't admit it, one of the bravest women in the world. I don't agree with all of her philosophy but her story is a must for all women to at least try and understand.

10 Books That Screwed Up the World by Benjamin Wiker. An alternative to the clap trap that is thrown out by many liberal arts professors. Look at some of these from a different point of view.

One Shot by Lee Child. A novel with a hero that most women would love to have. A man's man, Jack Reacher is the man most men would want to be. This is just one in a series of novels with this character as the focal point--a new meaning to the term Great Samaritan.

Saving the Queen by William F. Buckley, Jr. Bill Buckley tried to write a book a year almost while skiing in Gstaad, Switzerland. This is first of his Blackford Oaks series. You will learn a bunch of new words.

There you have it. America Alone for sure and you will not make a wrong choice with any of the others, unless of course you don't want to learn anything while you read.

Card of the Week

I chose Don Larsen as the card of the week this week. As a Yankee in the 1956 World Series, Larsen threw a perfect game, the only one in World Series History. It seems fitting because this year we have had 2 and 26/27th perfect games. Dallas Braden of the A's and Roy Halladay of the Phillies have thrown perfect games this past May. Armando Galarraga gets credit for a near perfect game. First Base Umpire Jim Joyce missed the call at first that would have been the 3rd out in the ninth for Galarraga's perfecto. It was amazing the class that was shown by everyone from the unfortunate event. It is obvious that a perfect game is more than great pitching. It is great fielding, good hitting by the pitcher's team and good umpiring. There are a lot of variables. Studying the stats, more perfect games are have been thrown in May than any other month. Maybe it is because the season is young, the hitters haven't seen the pitcher and the weather is just warming a little bit. The next month for most perfect games is July. So, who knows. I can see in my mind's eye the the famous shot of the end of the '56 World Series game with Yogi Berra running out to the mound and jumping up into Larsen's arms. You never know. I am going to go out on a limb and predict that there will be no more perfect games this year.