Explosion in Middletown, CT

It is not very often that there is big news in my home state of Connecticut. But today, there was a natural gas explosion at a local plant. Early reports are that the plant's stack went up while they were cleaning it. Fatalities have been confirmed, but not yet enumerated.

Connecticut Post notices the joys of the Stratford Shoreline

Anyone who has been following Mod-Blog for a while is aware of how much I enjoy riding my bike along the Stratford Shoreline. My usual path begins at Marnicks Restaurant, goes out to Short Beach and then over to Long Beach. Each area has its own charms (and pricing to park, for out-of-towners like me) and it is a great ride of about 10 miles with constantly-changing scenery and personalities.

Now, the Connecticut Post has noticed this gem which is much closer than the "vacation beaches" up in Massachusetts or down in New Jersey. In hard economic times like these, you don't need to out of state to enjoy sand, sun, and the ocean. What other gems have Mod-Bloggers found closer to home than the typical vacation destinations?


To be fair, I shold disclose a running argument with Shadowmom over whether the Long Island Sound is indeed "The Ocean." I leave it to our readers to affirm *I* am right that it is.

Local Superheroes?

As I have been getting into biking, I have been exploring the blogsphere for sites that strike that balance between "fun" and "useful info". One of the more interesting ones I have discovered is The Beat Bike Blog which is run by a bicycle enthusiast who lives in Hartford, CT (about 1/2 hour from where I work).

Currently, they are having a fun discussion that Mod-Bloggers may want to check out on the lack of small-city superheroes. The author notes that the vast majority of heroes work in New York City, Los Angeles, or a similar large city. This leaves out smaller cities like Hartford or Dover, Delaware, and leaves the suburbs almost entirely unprotected unless Peter Parker is invited over to Jonah Jameson's barbecue in White Plains. They also note, however, that more super-villains appear to accommodate this policy by locating themselves also in big cities.

If your small town or small city needed a superhero, what kind would it have?

Shelton Little League Continues the Dream!

In 1988 my hometown little league team won the World Series. (That was Trumbull, CT. I was in High School at the time and had never been anywhere NEAR a game, if you are wondering. I was in Marching Band Camp at the time.) It was a great time for the town and for the kids, and I did not think I'd be seeing that again in my lifetime. Well, since we moved to Shelton, it appears I was wrong!

Jacob Lennertz never dreamed of pitching a three-hitter in this spot. Nick Petrovich just wanted to hit it hard. They both surpassed their hopes Thursday night, and Shelton National is within one game of the Little League World Series. It avenged its only New England Regional loss with a 6-0 semifinal win over Portland (Maine) North at Breen Field. Lennertz struck out 13, and Petrovich went 3-for-4 with a game-clinching home run and four RBIs. With a win Saturday over Walpole (Mass.) American, Shelton National would be the first Connecticut team to reach Williamsport, Pa., since Trumbull National won it all in 1989.
"It feels really good," said Petrovich, who was on the mound last Saturday in a pool-play loss to Portland. "I wouldn't rather do it with anybody else."
The regional final is Saturday at 2 p.m., and the game will air on ESPN.

Go Shelton Nationals!!! Go all the way!

Go, Shelton Little League, Go!

Woo-hoo! The Little League team with our landlord's son on it has advanced to the regional semi-finals, and the paper has only good things to say about his performance!

Not only did Shelton National's Nick Petrovich do it with his arm, he also did it with his bat. Petrovich pitched a complete game, giving up just one run on three hits while striking out seven, and hit the go-ahead home run to lead his team to a 3-1 victory over Cranston (R.I.) in the New England Little League Regionals at Breen Field.
Shelton National, which rounds out pool play with a 3-1 record, advances to the semifinals on Thursday. The team will play at either 5 or 8 p.m. "Our kids deserve this. We pitch well, we throw strikes, and we make the plays on defense," Shelton National manager Mark Testani said.

I believe the New England Finals are set for Thursday, which I have am all set up to record on my EyeTV. If they win there, they go to the Nationals!