Bubba On the Lake – Episode #35

Knee Update, Tech, Meg, and NYC Election – November 6, 2025
Host: Bill "Bubba" Bussey
Special Guests: Stuart Brockwell (Surge Technologies), Meg Wilson Bryant

Episode Overview

In this lively and heartfelt episode, Bubba brings listeners up to speed on his ongoing knee recovery, rants about the time change, and waxes nostalgic about old Halloweens. Tech expert Stuart Brockwell joins for a deep-dive into recent tech news, from the AWS internet outage to Apple's device updates. Later, Bubba welcomes his longtime friend Meg Wilson Bryant for a wide-ranging conversation about home health, community, holidays, and a few lighthearted football tales. The episode wraps with Bubba’s take on the recent NYC election and a broader discussion about politics, community, and the value of gratitude.

Health & Life Updates

Bubba’s Knee Recovery

• [01:20] Bubba: Shares that the wound pump is out of his knee, stitches remain, but he’s upgraded his condition from "C+" to a "B–".
  • “I would have to upgrade my condition from C plus to B minus. If we get stitches out, I will be a solid B, baby.” [02:30]
• Still on daily IV antibiotics (with a PICC line, administered by wife Betty) through Thanksgiving.
• “Still a little painful to walk, but we’re stumbling around with a cane…” [02:00]

On the Dreaded Time Change

• Bubba vents about daylight saving time, describing it as “insane,” but promises not to complain further.
  • “Apparently there is nothing can be done that this has been forced on us by a power bigger than ourselves from somewhere else in the universe.” [03:00]

Halloween Nostalgia

• Reflects on old-school neighborhood Halloweens—bonfires, cookouts, and trick-or-treating with his kids—versus today’s more “demonic” themes.
  • “I enjoyed Halloween growing up. It was fun. It was not demonic. It was not horror. It was fun.” [06:05]
• Admits he misses those simpler, community-centered holidays.

Sponsor News

• Welcomes Bryce Motors (Alexander City) and Russell Lands (Lake Martin) as new sponsors, joining a slate of local backers. [08:00]

Tech Talk with Stuart Brockwell (“Titan of Tech”)

AWS Internet Outage Story

• [11:43] Stuart describes the major AWS outage on October 14th, recalling disastrous effects across the internet:
  • “Eight Sleep ran all of their smart bed controls and schedules through AWS… The beds are like stuck on hot… folding people up… squishing them in the bed.” [15:02 – 15:48]
• Importance of infrastructure diversity and U.S. reliance on Amazon Web Services.

Undersea Cable Maintenance

• Outage reportedly caused by firmware updates on undersea transmission cables linking Amazon’s east data center with Europe and Africa.
  • “The Internet doesn't travel between continents wirelessly. There are gigantic fiber optic cables that run from continent to continent...” [17:05]

Apple Software & Device Updates

• [19:19] Bubba gripes about confusing new Apple update naming conventions (“Why are we calling it 26, 28?”).
• Stuart explains Apple now names OS versions by year (e.g., 26 = 2026).
  • “Most people know what year it is, right? If you've got iOS 26 and it's 2028, then probably you need to update.” [19:49]
• Update Fatigue: Bubba laments constant device updates breaking his setups.
  • “Every time I get something working like I want it to… here comes an update. Plug that baby in… nothing works!” [22:08]
• Stuart explains security and bug fixes drive frequent updates: “There's no such thing as an unhackable system.” [22:14]

iPhone 17 & Hardware Talk

• Troubleshooting audio issues on Bubba’s new iPhone 17 and discussion of softer, less durable aluminum bodies.

The Latest in Wearables & AR

• Meta’s upcoming Orion AR Glasses: Blend augmented reality with normal Ray-Bans, aim for 2027 release, ~$1,000.
  • “They don't make you look like a dork. They look like regular glasses.” [27:26]
• Meta Ray-Ban smart glasses: available now for ~$379.
• New Apple chip (“M5”): More efficient, longer battery, but not revolutionary.

Mobile Phone Flashbacks

• Bubba recalls his “lunchbox” Motorola—pre-bag phone—cell phone days.
  • “If you toted it around much, you did not need a gym membership because it was a full 3 watt output.” [31:32]
• Stuart reminisces about his first Motorola Razr and hacking it for free internet access.
  • “I had the Internet… people were like, ‘How are you doing that?’” [35:15]

iPod Stories

• Bubba remembers a friend hacking the original iPod to play movies before it officially could: “It didn't have the color screen yet, but… he had a movie on that green screen just playing plain as day. And I thought, well, you know that's coming and it's going to be big. And hey, look at it now.” [35:22]

Guest Interview: Meg Wilson Bryant (Home Health & Community Advocate)

[40:27] – 56:57

Radio Memories and Career Shifts

• Meg shares her journey from radio (Auburn Network, Pigskin Roundup) to working in hospice and home health after losing her father to Alzheimer’s.
  • “I just made it my goal in life to try to help as many other families as I can.” [42:21]

Halloween, Community, and Change

• Bubba and Meg reminisce about “the good old days” of trick-or-treating in simple costumes (“those old timey costumes with the masks that would almost suffocate you” [48:44]).
• Discuss how Halloween has shifted and how to keep it fun yet safe for families.

The Importance of Community

• Both emphasize the value of knowing your neighbors and fostering connections, especially during the holidays.
  • “When we’re having community... I found purpose, and I come alive in that.” [55:02]
• Meg describes vibrant gatherings and neighborhood events at Fox Run Village.

Holiday Reflections

• Meg and Bubba agree Thanksgiving offers unique joys—good food, football, and family—without the commercial pressure of gifts.
  • “Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday because you’re still watching college football while you got the tree up and the stretchy pants…” [51:20]
  • “You can't help but take [health] for granted. But when you struggle, you realize what a huge thing it is… You'd give everything you own to feel 100%.” [54:48]
• Recognize how families and communities change over time, and the need to cherish the present.

Politics & NYC Election Discussion

[58:14 – 1:04:00]

• Bubba analyzes NYC’s recent mayoral shift toward socialism/communism, referencing George Will’s famous quip:
  • “Every 20 years or so we need a good socialist to come along and show everybody why socialism and communism doesn’t work.” [59:30]
• Draws on historical comparisons: East/West Germany and North/South Korea, arguing capitalism’s superiority.
  • “We have history to look at… East Germany was communist, West Germany was a free market capitalistic system. People were fleeing into West Germany...” [1:00:45]
• Offers candid takes on inflation, affordability, and dysfunction in Congress, expressing frustration at ongoing government shutdowns:
  • “It’s like a bunch of sixth graders and this is real people, this is real lives.” [1:03:10]
• Concludes with a plea for politicians to “do better,” and for everyone to focus on community and gratitude.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Knee Recovery:
  “If we get stitches out, I will be a solid B, baby.” – Bubba [02:30]

• On the AWS Outage:
  “The beds are like stuck on hot and what—they’re like roasting people and folding people up… squishing them in the bed.” – Stuart [15:14]

• On Old School Halloween:
  “People look good around a bonfire… The lower the light, the better. I’m absolutely beautiful in pitch black.” – Bubba [06:15]

• On Technology:
  “Every time I get something working like I want it to… here comes an update. Plug that baby in… nothing works!” – Bubba [22:08]

• On Community:
  “When we’re having community... I found purpose, and I come alive in that.” – Meg [55:02]

• On Socialism and History:
  “Every 20 years or so we need a good socialist to come along and show everybody why socialism and communism doesn’t work.” – George Will via Bubba [59:30]

Episode Timestamps

• 00:00 – 02:30: Introduction, knee update, Halloween nostalgia
• 02:30 – 08:00: Sponsors, website updates, community reminders
• 11:43 – 36:56: Tech Talk with Stuart Brockwell (internet outage, device updates, wearables, reminiscing about old tech)
• 40:27 – 56:57: Meg Wilson Bryant on life, career, holidays, and community connections
• 58:14 – 1:04:00: Bubba on NYC election, socialism vs. capitalism, American politics and gratitude

Tone & Style

• Bubba’s characteristic humor, warmth, and directness permeate the episode, blending funny anecdotes with thoughtful social commentary.
• Laid-back, conversational vibe with plenty of laughter, personal reflections, and friendly ribbing among guests.
• Focuses on fostering community and gratitude throughout.

In Summary

This episode is a heartfelt window into Bubba’s world: his health ups and downs, pet peeves (hello, time change!), love of family traditions, and deep roots in tech and radio. Tech talk with Stuart is equal parts informative and nostalgic, while Meg brings warmth, wisdom, and some Auburn-flavored rivalry. The episode closes with Bubba’s unmistakable political candor, capped by a call to community, realism, and, above all, gratitude.

For more, visit BubbaOnTheLake.com
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