Bubba Dogs

A human interest story from the NY Times this morning. Dustin Carter is a high school wrestler that is currently competing in the Ohio State wrestling tournament.

Carter, 18, is a 103-pounder whose legs end at his hips, whose right arm stops just after his elbow and whose left arm is even shorter. He had the rest taken from him at age 5 because of a blood infection that required extensive amputations.

Carter has compiled a 41-2 record this season for Hillsboro High School, about 55 miles east of Cincinnati. He has also won a handful of tournaments and inspired nearly everyone who has watched him.

With an Iron Will, He Finds a Way

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It looks like the case of the stolen plasma TV’s in both Sea Isle City and Ocean City has been solved. As it turns out, one of the suspects works for an Ocean City realtor. If you believe you might have ended up with one of the stolen TVs or if you had a flat-screen TV stolen, Ocean City police want to hear from you. Please call 609-399-9111.

Story… Police Arrest Realtor, Contractor In Connection With Stolen TVs

1/4 Mile Swim~12.3 Mile Bike~3.1 Mile Run

One more shout for the Sea Isle City “Tri for Our Veterans” triathlon. It will be held in Sea Isle on Saturday, May 24th (Memorial Day Weekend). You have a full 3 months to prepare. It’s is a sprint distance event, complete with an ocean swim, a fast bicycle course, and a beach run. Proceeds from the triathlon will benefit the Injured Marine Semper Fi Fund and Sea Isle City’s VFW Post 1963. Please join all the runners and Team Semper Fi as we remember our country’s veterans and kick off the summer season with an exciting triathlon.

If anyone is interested in forming a Team Bubba Dogs, shoot me an email.

Registration and more info:

Sea Isle City Tri for Our Veterans

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Don’t be using that cell phone in Jersey. Beginning on Saturday, you may be subject to a $100 fine. Previously, you could only be ticketed if you were pulled over for a separate offense. No more. If you’re seen talking (or texting), expect to get fined.

Time to get a hands free device (or a real big rubber band).

Story:New Jersey Bans Cell Phone Use

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And now, for some great news…

Oil hits a high; some in U.S. see $4 gas by spring.

Gasoline prices, which for months lagged the big run-up in the price of oil, are suddenly rising quickly, with some experts fearing they could hit $4 a gallon by spring. Diesel is hitting new records daily and oil closed at an all-time high on Tuesday of $100.88 a barrel. Story…

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1. While I have not yet read this memoir, it comes highly recommended from a Bubba Dogs regular. The name of the book is My Father’s Heart. Here’s a brief snippet:

Sixteen-year-old Steve McKee watched his father die of a heart attack on the couch in their TV room. A lifelong smoker and workaholic, John McKee had been floored by a heart attack five years earlier. The McKee clan-perhaps including a demoralized John himself-had long been waiting for the other shoe to drop.

Website: http://www.steve-mckee.com/sm/index.php

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The best band in America…

Saturday night Wilco played the Tower Theater in Upper Darby. What an amazing show. The band played for two hours (wish it was more, but The Tower has an 11 p.m. curfew - union issue I guess). For those looking for some new music to add to their catalog, buy all of their albums and enjoy. Here’s a link where you can listen to some of their live stuff from their site:Wilco Roadcase.

 

Go see them (if you can get tickets), trust me.

 

 

 

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Anyone interested in previous post of USS Iowa, I found this video of the big guns being fired. Hold your ears…

 

 

 

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Brad Lidge surgery was a success. Report from High Cheese:

 

…the normal recovery time line for this type of operation is three to six weeks. Opening day is 34 days away, so if Lidge’s recovery falls closer to three weeks, he should be able to get some time on the mound in spring training.

 

“Basically, they went in and cleaned out 15 to 18 percent of (the meniscus) which leaves him about 80 percent of the meniscus left, which is nice” Sheridan said. “For us, it was really the best case scenario, that that was the only thing going on. His other side of the knee that the had repaired was fine.”

 

Wilco at the Tower on Saturday night. They remain, for me, the best American band playing today. I’ll post more tomorrow on that show (thanks for the reminder, MF)

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USS Iowa (B 61)
Summer 1987

Just going through some old files and I came across this shot. Taken onboard the Iowa, it was the first Navy ship that I’d ever ridden at sea. I was fortunate to spend two weeks onboard as an ROTC undergrad at GWU (that’s me wearing the Tom Cruise Ray Bans).

Here’s an aerial photo where all 9 - 16″ guns are fired in unison (a broadside).

The Iowa class battleship’s 16″ guns were the most powerful of any ship in the history of the world. At maximum range the projectile spends almost 1½ minutes in flight. Each gun can fire two rounds per minute and can travel a range of 25 miles. In terms of weight, a single ship, therefore, can fire the equivalent of 9 Toyota Corrolas at once, all of which would be in the air for up to 90 seconds before impact. A broadside was fired when I was onboard. It remains a life highlight, though my hearing has been suspect since that day.

Unfortunately, two years after I rode the ship, an explosion of undetermined cause ripped through her Number Two sixteen-inch gun turret killing 47 crewmen.

She was decommissioned in October 1990 and is currently part of the Navy Reserve fleet in San Francisco.If interested, more here: USS Iowa

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Brad Lidge threw one pitch for the Phillies before being shut down and requiring arthoscopic surgery.

He had surgery to repair cartilage in the same knee in October, but the righthander and the trainer both said today’s procedure is not nearly so major.

He may be ready in time for opening day on March 31st, but it doesn’t look good. We’re off to another wonderful start, Phils fans.

Story from today’s Inky:Lidge Requires Surgery

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For the Sea Isle City folks…Our Mayor, Lenny Desiderio, recently received a death threat. Hard to believe, but true. Story in The Atlantic City Press.

Additionally, embattled Police Chief William Kennedy, who also recently received a death threat, is expected to be terminated following a hearing in April. Story also in The AC Press.

Howard Wins Arbitration Case

Ryan Howard has won his arbitration with the Phillies, and he’ll be paid $10 million for next season. Story:

Howard Wins Arbitration

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For those looking to mix up your workout a bit but only have a short (20 minutes) to do so, here’s something you should try.

Referring to the pyramid above, you perform three exercises: push-ups, pull-ups and sit-ups.  You  start with one pullup, two push-ups and three sit-ups.  You then ascend the pyramid and increase your repititions (following the pull-ups x 1; push-ups x 2; and sit-ups x 3 guidance).  Set 2 is 2 pull-ups, 4 push-ups and 6 sit-ups, and so on.  Go all the way up and come all the way back down.  If it gets too easy, do 2 sets and then 3.  Try it. It’s more difficult then you think.

 

 

 

Sea Isle City Polar Plunge, 2008

Bill McGinn, left, and Frank Edwardi in the hot pink bikini came were awarded second place in the $5.00 Wal-Mart Costume category.

Great time. While I didn’t go in, thousands did. The city did a wonderful job promoting the event and it has grown tremendously since its inception 14 years ago. There were thousands on the beach watching and Landis Ave was closed between 40th and 42nd streets to accommodate the crowds. The bars and restaurants were all packed. Next year, Bubba Dogs will be open. Really a great day and highly advise putting it on the 2009 calendar.

While I would one day would love to go large and build a Bubba Dogs empire much like monster company Bubba Burgers, there exists no affiliation (though I’m always willing to listen, fellas). The burger monolith is in a bit of deep doo doo, so, through the advice of a friend and frequent visitor, I feel obliged to state publicly our non-relationship (unfortunately, at least prior to this story breaking):

Bad Beef?

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One of my favorite summer shots, 2006. Timmy (mine) is 3 and buddy Luke is 2. Luke’s Dad Chris is one of my oldest and closest friends. This picture reminds me of how fortunate we Sea Isle lifers really are. How pleased would you be if you could look into the future as two close friends 20 years ago and envision this picture of your sons taken on the very beaches upon which we both grew up on and lifeguarded?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Here we are rowing for Sea Isle in the South Jersey Lifeguard Championships in 1988. Chris was coming off a Dad Vail win as a member of Temple’s Heavyweight 8 and I recently finished up my final crew season at GWU. We should have had a better season that year, and I’d say we underachieved. Being 21 in Sea Isle for the summer gave us absolutely no competitive edge.

 

 

 

 

 

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For NYC area friends and relatives (and La Salle High/St. Joe U. grads), LSCHS alumni Former Secretary of the Navy, John Lehman and NBC Hardball host Chris Matthews will be hosting a Discussion of Current Issues at the University Club of New York on March 3rd. I may try to make it up there myself. Both are real bright chaps who are well aware of the issues of the day. Should be a special night.

Lehman was hired as Navy Secretary in 1981 when only 39 years of age. A strong advocate of a 600 ship Navy, he was held in high regard within the Navy ranks. While a freshman NROTC student at GWU in 1985, fellow alum Lehman was my first Navy (big) boss. Morale was real high with President Reagan (of whom I’m particularly fond) and John Lehman at the helm. He more recently served as, perhaps, the most eloquent member of the 9/11 Commission. Though I take issue with some of the Commissions findings, Lehman’s straightforward explanation was easily understood. Partisanship aside (he’s obviously Republican), all Americans are fortunate to have public servants like this guy. Of course it was the Great Communicator (Reagan) that was smart enough to hire him.

Born in Philly, he attended St. Joe’s (B.S. ‘64); B.A/MA Cambridge; PhD UPenn. He was also first cousins with the late Princess Grace Kelly of Monaco. Not a bad resume.

Oh yeah, I’m sure most are familiar with political pundit/talking head Matthews, ‘63.

New York Regional Roundtable to Hold Alumni Reception and Current Issues Discussion

 

Phils sign Anna Benson!!!

They also signed husband Kris to a minor league deal. From Zo Zone:

The Phillies have come to minor-league contract agreement with free agent righthander Kris Benson.

The contract is pending a physical.

The Phillies have seen Benson throw three times this off-season: once in December and twice recently in private sessions with Phillies scout Chuck LaMar. LaMar said today Benson only is throwing at 60 to 70 percent, which makes it seem doubtful he can break camp with a spot in the Phillies rotation. In fact, LaMar said Benson could be ready anywhere from Opening Day to June 1.

 

Good signing. Maybe, by June 1st when Eaton blows up again, he can take over the number 5 spot in the rotation. It is, however, the type of signing that we Phils fans are accustomed to - low cost with possible upside. Forget what I said about good signing. I should have said “typical Phils signing.”

The World’s Tiniest Body Builder

At just 2ft 9in, Indian muscleman Aditya ‘Romeo’ Dev is the world’s smallest bodybuilder.

Pint-sized Romeo is well-known in his hometown of Phagwara, India - for his ability to lift 1.5kg dumbbells - despite his overall 9kg body weight.

I’m diggin’ the Calvin and Hobbs underpants.

Story…

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Surfer Mags montage of post storm monsters at Ghost Tree. Here’s what it looks like 300+ days of the year:

But not today. Ghost Tree is one of those secrets that hasn’t quite broken in the big media yet although it’s well known to the surfing community. It’s a Maverick wave, sixty feet high, that appears three or four times a year off Pebble Beach, a blue crush of epic proportions and a long ways off the rocky coast. Many surfers rely on jet skis to get them there, preferring instant gratification to the long hard paddle out. But tow-surfing is illegal.