Today we went to Mobile, AL to see the USS Alabama, a World War II battleship. While my pictures show the deck pretty well, they can't begin to convey what the below decks area is like. If you've never toured a ship from this era, I encourage you to do so.

This morning we awoke to breezy conditions and light rain as Frances' reach extended into Northern Alabama. Not to be discouraged, however, we got out and bravely ventured across the parking lot to the Waffle House. After a hearty breakfast we headed to one of the most popular spots in the Huntsville area. Wal-Mart. We had packed everything except umbrellas. Then we finally pointed ourselves toward the U.S. Rocket & Space Center.

We've been planning on taking a vacation for a while now and, as I usually take the week of Labor Day off from work, it seemed liked a natural fit. We were also offered a free place to stay anytime we wanted so we were all set.

But the best laid plans...

The Statue of Liberty reopens today - kind of. While I'm certainly glad that we will once again be able to visit this historic and beautiful monument, the experience of that visit will not be the same as it once was. It saddens me to know that my children will not be able to climb up the stairs inside and look out through the windows of the crown as I did when I was young. Every time I see a picture of Liberty Lighting The World, my mind jumps back to that moment and I am there again. Ah, well...

Lady Liberty, it's good to have you back.

A while ago Dr. Bacchus posted a short blurb about Say Anything... It was on FX's DVD on TV last night so I had to stay up late and watch it. I hadn't seen it in well over twelve years. (And wow - I had forgotten how mind-numbingly bad Corey's songs were.) Here are some of my favorite things about it.

Two great men died this week. Each changed the world and left it a better place for his being here, although in drastically different ways. Unfortunately, I don't have the time at the moment to write a nice bio of each as I usually do for these posts.

I'll be following this case and I suspect that Dr. Bacchus will too.

Kudos to Bill Cosby for saying in no uncertain terms what white people can't say without being called everything from a Klansman to a slave owner to a Nazi and what far too many black people won't say.

I have little use for money grubbing nitwits.

As I write this, the central Kentucky landmark known around here simply as "The Castle" is in flames and the prognosis doesn't look so good.