Weekend Political Reading Recommendations!

I am perusing the web all week, and I write about some of the things I find. But I there is so much great stuff that I do not write about, but I collect for this Saturday column. Enjoy.

A Big Game 7…

Regular readers of So, Does It Matter? know that I am a diehard Dodgers fan. Unless you share my passion, you’ll be happy to know that one way or another either the Dodgers or the Blue Jays will be World Champions!

Let me set the table for this amazing photo!

With the Dodgers clinging to a 3-1 lead in the bottom of the ninth, Toronto refused to go quietly. With runners on second and third and two outs, Andrés Giménez lined a sharp single to left. Kiké Hernández charged in, fielded the hop cleanly, and fired a perfect throw to second base — where chaos unfolded. Addison Barger, racing back after drifting too far off the bag, barreled into shortstop Miguel Rojas, knocking him flat as both scrambled for the ball. Rojas somehow kept his glove on the base just long enough to record the out before tumbling backward. The stunning double play ended the threat — and the game — with the Dodgers pouring out of the dugout in disbelief. The Blue Jays’ late rally died on contact, and Los Angeles escaped with a 3-1 victory, forcing a decisive Game 7 in one of the wildest finishes in recent World Series memory. This photo was moments after the end of the game.

OK, that’s out of my system… Thanks to everyone for enjoying this Substack project. I hope you’re enjoying reading the content as much as I am enjoying pulling it together!

Here we go…

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What am I reading?

A couple of my recommendations are below, above the paywall. So much more below it!

NEWSOM WINNING AS HE EXPANDS FUNDRAISING BASE FOR 2028

Graphic from linked Politico article.

California Governor Gavin Newsom’s redistricting campaign is fueling a massive influx of new grassroots donors — more than 100,000 people, most of whom had never contributed to his prior campaigns. In their Politico report, Melanie Mason and Jessica Piper detail how Proposition 50 fundraising is helping Newsom build one of the largest Democratic donor databases in the country, a powerful foundation for a likely 2028 presidential bid and a reshaped national profile.

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FOSSIL FUELS HAVE MADE THE EARTH MORE LIVABLE THAN EVER

In his latest Substack essay, Alex Epstein argues that fossil fuels don’t just power modern life — they fundamentally improve Earth’s habitability by enabling human prosperity, climate mastery and technological advance. He contends that restricting oil, coal and natural gas now would jeopardize billions of lives while undermining the very conditions that allow civilization to thrive.

How fossil fuels make Earth more livable than it’s ever been

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So this Saturday column on the things I have found interesting to read is a thank you to our paid subscriber. There is a lot below - more columns and articles, two great charts, a long form article recommendation, a “must listen:” podcast recommendation, and a great video — and a bunch of quick hits. Please support my independent writing where I call balls and strikes by becoming a paid subscriber. There’s a button below to get a free trial!