Ron Cassie's picture
August, 14th 2012

Dew Tour: Dundalk Skate Legend Returns to Ocean City

Courtesy Facebook

In 1984, 12-year-old Bucky Lasek woke on Christmas morning to find a Steve Caballero skateboard and his calling under the family tree. Amazingly, Lasek, turning 40 this December, still makes a living as a skateboarder after turning pro more than two decades ago.

The Dundalk native, with six X Games gold medals to his name, started developing his skills on the infamous “Hell Ramp” (see photo below) back in the day at the old Fisherman’s Inn on Miller’s Island and with road trips to skateparks in New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Virginia.

Returning to Ocean City this week for the annual summer Dew Tour (he bested Shaun White, the Olympic snowboarding champion, among others, to win last year’s vert title at Ocean City), Lasek tells Baltimore that he and his friends “would go anywhere to skate,” coming up.

Scheduled this Thursday through Sunday, the Dew Tour features skateboard and BMX competitions, as well as a surf event and multiple music performances. Anybody heading to Ocean...

Max Weiss's picture
August, 13th 2012

Michael Phelps for Louis Vitton

 

You're welcome.

 

Source

Ron Cassie's picture
August, 10th 2012

Rawlings-Blake Testifies in Favor of Expanded Gambling

Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake's office put out a statement late Friday afternoon regarding her testimony today and support for expanded gambling — now referred to as "gaming" by enthusiastic politicos — in the state.
 
A special session of the Maryland General Assembly was called this week by Gov. Martin O'Malley to create legislation that would allow table games, such as blackjack, poker and roulette, at the state's previously approved slot machine sites.
 
O'Malley's recent proposal also would allow a sixth state casino in Prince George's County.
 
Blake says that expanded gambling in the state will create jobs and "also bring additional revenue to the State’s Education Trust Fund, which provides the majority of Baltimore City Public Schools funding."
...
Amy Mulvihill's picture
August, 10th 2012

Hopkins Treats Patient with Unknown Skin Disease

(Note: Sorry about the 30 seconds of weirdness at the start of this video. It's the only one I could find on YouTube though.)

Just three years ago Shanyna Isom was studying at the University of Memphis and had a promising career in criminal justice ahead of her.  Now she is suffering from a rare debilitating illness—so rare that she is the only person in the world known to have it. 

What started as a routine steroid treatment for an asthma attack mysteriously developed into a traumatizing skin deformity, causing her hair follicles to grow human nails.  Though she has seen some of the best specialists in the world, the origins of her aggressive disease remain unclear.

Isom's body produces twelve times the number of skin cells per hair follicle. This causes her skin to suffocate, and instead of growing hair, her skin produces human nails.  Isom’s own description is more blunt: “where hair grows, nails are growing.”  Isom’s face and arms are covered in a tiny needlelike protrusions made of human nails.  

The good news is that she was admitted to The Johns...

Ron Cassie's picture
August, 10th 2012

Weekend Watch: (Meteor) Showers Expected

The weather should be clear most of this weekend. The sky? Not so much.

Late Saturday night into early Sunday morning (pre-dawn, we’re talking) is expected to be an excellent time to catch sight of the annual Perseid meteor shower in the Baltimore area. Best to find an open field or park, if possible — and legal.

The International Meteor Organization says the zenithal hourly rate is about 90 to 100 meteors, but we’ll probably only see a few, according to reporting in the Washington Post. The good news: a waning crescent moon this year shouldn’t create too much light for concern.

The natural fireworks, debris and cosmic dust from an old comet, appears to radiate from the Perseus constellation – thus the name Perseid. More casually, we call them shooting or falling stars....

Ron Cassie's picture
August, 6th 2012

Michael Phelps' Next Career: 12 Ideas

You’re 27, the greatest Olympic athlete ever, and you’ve recently announced your retirement to the world. Still, there’s 40 years before full Social Security benefits kicks in.
 
In recent interviews, Michael Phelps doesn’t seem to know, yet, what exactly to do next. Which is fine, of course. He's accomplished a lot. He did mention swimming with sharks in South Africa (now that would be a race!) and working with kids. He  also plans to work on his...
Amy Mulvihill's picture
August, 3rd 2012

Virgin Fest 2012 Announced for October

Looks like Virgin Free Fest is happening after all. After a summer drought of news about the annual music festival, organizers today announced the free concert event will return to Merriweather Post Pavilion October 6. 

The performers have yet to be announced, but if last year’s lineup (The Black Keys, Cee-Lo, TV on the Radio, and Patti Smith) are any indication, it should be dynamite.   

Whatever scant information has been released already can be found here. Apparently, more details will be released via Twitter in the coming days and Virgin Mobile is encouraging its Twitter follows to guess the lineup for a chance to win tickets. 

It sounds like the booking decisions have already been made, but if not, may we make a suggestion? It sure would be sweet to see Virgin Fest reel in some Charm City bands, currently on tour, like Beach House, Dan Deacon, or Rye Rye ont he bill. 

—This post was written by editorial summer intern Lowen Howard

John Lewis's picture
August, 2nd 2012

Uncool Mag Says We're Cool

forbes cover

Forbes, a markedly uncool publication, ranks Baltimore #14 on its list of "America's Coolest Cities." Bethesda charted at #17, and Houston actually topped the list. Houston? Seems odd, but it probably makes sense if you also happen to check Pitchfork for stock tips.

Max Weiss's picture
August, 2nd 2012

Leave Michael Phelps Alone!

Right when the the London games began, Sports Nation—the public-opinion-driven ESPN TV show—asked its fans: Who are you rooting for? Michael Phelps or Ryan Lochte? The results came back overwhelmingly—for Lochte.

"Phelps didn't even medal," Sports Nation tweeted.

Okay, I sort of understand that. Everyone likes an underdog and Phelps was so dominant in Beijing he almost seemed super-human, invincible.

But at the same time, the guy has brought so much glory to his country, his town, his sport, you'd think he'd get a LITTLE love.

In fact, the opposite seems true. Lately, there's been a disturbing and consistent backlash against our most decorated Olympiad.

There was, of course, the snipe from his own teammate, Tyler Clary, who claimed that Phelps was merely coasting on talent and that his heart wasn't in it.

Then there was this truly unfair article from LA Time's columnist Bill Plaschke,...

Jess Blumberg's picture
July, 31st 2012

NBAC making a splash at the Olympics

There have been a few ups and downs so far in the London 2012 Olympics, but one thing is for sure: The North Baltimore Aquatic Club has a lot to celebrate. 

Not only is there hometown boy Michael Phelps, who won a gold in the 4x200-meter free relay and two silvers in the 4x100-meter free relay and the 200-meter butterfly. The gold brought his total medal count to 19, surpassing the Olympic medal record held by Soviet gymnast Larisa Latynina. 

But rising star Allison Schmitt, who trained at NBAC with coach Bob Bowman, has had...