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Going for the fences
What is wonderful about the moment is not that it is funny, but that you have to know something about baseball to think it’s funny, and that the writers of a Hollywood movie in 1942 could safely assume that their audience would know something about baseball.

Report from the People’s Climate March
The People’s Climate March in New York City on Sept. 21 was designed to be the largest mass rally in history to awaken a sleepwalking world to the dangers ahead. Even by the time you reached the subway station at Rockefeller Center one sensed the electricity in the air as people were scurrying to get to the start of the march.

Wall Street walls off young farmers
It’s groups like American Farmland and Farmland Partners. These aren’t dirt farmers wearing overalls and brogans, but Wall Street hucksters in Armani suits and Gucci loafers. The latest fast-buck fad for high-roller investment trusts, hedge funds and venture capital speculators is “farming.

LETTERS
CUT WEB LOOPHOLES I fully agree with Jim Hightower in the “The darker side of amazon. com,” Sept. 25, where he notes that most online purchases, in effect, are subsidized by government since state sales taxes are not charged.

And the race continues
Just a quick note to Bruce Rauner: The next time you try to claim that Gov. Pat Quinn is “personally” under federal investigation (an allegation that, as far as anyone can tell, is not true), it’s probably best not to say it while standing next to a different governor who actually is “personally” under federal investigation.

SOLAR TOUR SATURDAY
Kevin and Stacey Rademacher’s house in Sherman looks a lot like their neighbors’ houses, except for one thing: the large, black solar panels covering the Rademachers’ roof. Kevin Rademacher says he installed the panels himself in May 2013, after purchasing a Chevy Volt, a hybrid car.

Businesses should lead the green revolution
That’s according to Jeff Saad, an architect at Melcher+Tucker Consultants in Chicago. On Sept. 25, Saad spoke to a group of fellow architects, designers, engineers and others in Springfield, imploring them to begin asking questions about the materials they use in buildings.

BROKES
Springfi eld developer Dan Mulcahy has declared bankruptcy in the midst of a lawsuit fi led by former Ward 8 Ald. Irv Smith, who wants to dissolve a partnership formed earlier this year to redevelop the former First United Methodist Church at the intersection of Fifth Street and Capitol Avenue.

Falling down
After a third-story window came crashing down last month from the dilapidated Knox Flats apartments near downtown, caretakers of one of Springfield’s oldest homes are demanding that the city demolish the gutted apartment building that lacks a roof and large portions of its exterior walls.

Appeals court upholds city’s panhandling ban
In a 2-1 decision released Sept. 25, the United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit ruled that Springfield’s ordinance does not violate the First Amendment right to free speech. The plaintiffs, a pair of Springfield panhandlers, sued the city in September 2013, claiming the ordinance is unconstitutional and is used to harass panhandlers.

Okto-Beer Fest
In Munich, more than 4,000 miles away from Springfield, they’ve been partying for almost two weeks now, listening to oompah bands and eating Steckerlfisch (aka roast fishon-a-stick) and sucking down liters of beer inside massive tents that start pouring at 10 a.

Architectural treasures of Columbus, Indiana
Columbus, 238 miles from Springfield in southern Indiana, began welcoming modern architects in the 1950s to design its schools, churches and other public buildings. Now it boasts of more than 60 public and private buildings designed by prominent architects, making it a must-see for people who enjoy modern architecture.

An apple Oktoberfest: gemütlichkeit
Continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until the cabbage is tender, 30 minutes to 1 hour. If the rotkohl seems dry, add a little more cider or water, a couple of tablespoons at a time. It should be moist but not swimming in liquid.

Washington invaluable in slick Equalizer
McCall (Washington), an ex-intelligence agent, is looking to live the rest of his days in quiet contemplation, working retail in a big box hardware store and residing in a tidy, minimal apartment.

October falls into line
Up first on the list, let’s welcome our friends from Venice (the band, silly, not the city or the beach), as they return to Springfield for a show at the Legacy Theatre on Friday. Often, Venice shows sell out, as folks flock to see these fabulous cats from Southern California do their thing.

PUB CRAWL
Mikey Hash, MPress, OM33ZY, Khunnit Music Group.

BAND SPOTLIGHT | Kris Bell Band
Billed as an “American Rock” band with “rockin’ your ass and meltin’ your face!” as a motto, the Kris Bell Band makes powerful rock with a groove, laden with melodic hooks and blazing guitars. Born and raised in San Diego, Kris began playing guitar at age 7, played his first concert at 8 and was writing songs in earnest by the time he hit 13.

THE CALENDAR
Taylorville Chillifest/175th Birthday Celebration.

PETS | Canine costume contest
Springfield’s only Halloween party for dogs is Saturday, Oct. 4. Bring up to two of your canine companions, 6 months or older, to the Stuart Park Dog Run for a fun-filled afternoon of games and activities, a dog costume contest (with prizes), pet demonstrations, pet-friendly crafts, vendors, concessions and kids’ activities.

THEATER | Funny honeys
Oct. 3-5 and 10-12 are the performance dates of the comedy musical, Pete ’n’ Keely,.

HOME TOUR | Northend neighborhood
Seventeen historic homes make up this self-guided walking tour ranging from those completely renovated to those needing someone to make them beautiful again. Many of the houses are for sale. Enos Park neighborhood is located just north of downtown and houses on this tour are located between Third and Eighth streets.