Getting Some Head?

I know, what a tricky intro line... I just thought maybe this weekend we should be focusing more on things like this, rather than Michael Jackson tidbits.

This weekend, the Statue of Liberty, closed above its base since the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, will reopen to visitors — a relative few, in small groups, specially ticketed, carefully screened and escorted by a park ranger.

If you can't get to New York to see the view for yourself, explore Lady Liberty using USA TODAY's panoramic view.

Fun Facts About The Statue of Liberty

If you have ever visited the Statue of Liberty in person, you already know she's an imposing figure, but consider the following fun facts:

Official dedication ceremonies held on Thursday, October 28, 1886

Total overall height from the base of the pedestal foundation to the tip of the torch is 305 feet, 6 inches

Height of the Statue from her heel to the top of her head is 111 feet, 6 inches

The face on the Statue of Liberty measures more than 8 feet tall

There are 154 steps from the pedestal to the head of the Statue of Liberty

A tablet* held in her left hand measures 23' 7" tall and 13' 7" wide inscribed with the date JULY IV MDCCLXXVI (July 4, 1776)

The Statue has a 35-foot waistline

There are seven rays on her crown, one for each of the seven continents, each measuring up to 9 feet in length and weighing as much as 150 pounds

Total weight of the Statue of Liberty is 225 tons (or 450,000 pounds)

At the feet of the Statue lie broken shackles of oppression and tyranny

During the restoration completed in 1986, the new torch was carefully covered with thin sheets of 24k gold

The exterior copper covering of the Statue of Liberty is 3/32 of an inch thick (less than the thickness of two pennies) and the light green color (called a patina) is the result of natural weathering of the copper

*I understand the "tablet" is in fact a "keystone" but what do I know?

Lesson is over, enjoy your 4th! Over and "Out" from mine, here in Portsmouth, VA

Tobacco Where? Tobacco What?

One of the reasons I click on Tobacco Avenue (a whimsical Richmond blog) every day:

Informal Survey Finds No Local Celebrities Dead In Past Two Weeks

A quick check of the Richmond-area celebrity population has found that none have died during the past two weeks after the recent outbreak of high-profile celebrity passings, according to an informal survey by researchers at Virginia Commonwealth University.

The study – in which researchers browsed through obituaries, attended concerts to make sure local musicians were still breathing, and watched TV news to make sure all reporters and anchors remained cognizant of their surroundings – concluded that no local well-known personalities had been found dead in the past week either by natural causes or foul play.

“When you look at what a horrible two weeks it has been in Hollywood, with Michael Jackson and Farrah Fawcett and so on, you just have to be thankful that Richmond really came out on top in this one,” said Patricia Sherman, a sociology professor and lead author of the study. “Our city still has all of its talented local musicians, reporters, actors, and even bloggers, if you consider bloggers celebrities.”

“Which I do not,” she added.

Since no celebrities have died, Sherman said, she ruled out several causes of death, including murder, falling headfirst into an active volcano after a skydiving accident gone awry, being torn apart limb-by-limb by a gaggle of geese, or attending a Jonas Brothers concert.

The above was used totally WITHOUT permission from the Tobacco Avenue website.

Over, and most definitely "Out" there... from Portsmouth, VA

Popular Fireworks Banner

I feel a little stupid... Yet again...

I decided to change up my banner for the upcoming holiday. First I "googled" fireworks pictures, found one I liked, added in the shadowed lettering (choosing just the right colors), saved it, and finally posted it to my blog layout. I actually think it turned out ok for the time I spent on it.

Then came the slap!

I started reading through my favorites to catch up on my blogging friends, got to Maddog's site, saw HIS new banner and had one of those "Oh My GAY GOD" moments... It's like going out on a date and having the guy you are meeting wear the same clothes (or color scheme of clothes) you are...

I'm not changing! and to quote a friend of mine "Your hair sure looks nice Maddog"...

Over and "Out" from Portsmouth, VA

Learning Something New...

I am stupid (well, maybe more just non-informed). I never knew the connection, but thanks to Jim over at Jim's Stuff , now I know (and so do you):

Ever wonder why so many queens are Judy Garland fans?

She suffered, she got back up when she was down, she was precociously, ludicrously talented, she liked getting smashed, she starred in the campest film on earth, and, oh yes, she played a formative role in the birth of the modern gay rights movement.

Dateline: June 1969

On Sunday 22 June 1969, Garland was found dead from an overdose in her London home. On Friday 27 June she was buried and a wake was held by her gay fans at the Stonewall Inn in New York. In the early hours of 28 June the police decided to raid the Stonewall.

Where?

The Stonewall Inn was located at 53 Christopher Street. It was an after-hours members only club that sold booze without a licence. It was a real dump.

What happened?

Some sources say that as `Somewhere Over the Rainbow` played on the jukebox, eight plainclothes officers raided the Stonewall Inn, led by Deputy Inspector Seymour Pine. Customers were allowed to leave whilst the owners were arrested. The mood was light, but then it changed when a police wagon appeared and some drag queens and a lesbian were forced into it. The crowd started to get angry, they started attacking the police, who retreated to the bar and locked themselves inside. People started to throw bricks through the windows, more police arrived, some started waving guns, and the disturbance grew into a full-scale riot.

Why?

As far as the punters were concerned, the raid was the latest example of police harassment of minority groups. Numerous gay bars had been closed down, people were running out of places to go and they just couldn't take it anymore. Everyone was sick of being criminalized by a brutal and unsympathetic police force. And then Judy died. People just couldn't take any more!

The aftermath?

Not everyone agreed that what happened at Stonewall was a riot. The New York press downplayed the events, calling it a "rampage." The whole thing took about 45 minutes, according to witnesses. But later that Saturday, in the evening, more people converged at the Stonewall Inn. They closed off the street, chanted slogans and fought back against the police. More disturbances took place over the next few nights, after which people decided to become more organised and develop their own political groups. In late July the Gay Liberation Front was formed and the rest, as they say, is history.

Judy would have been proud.

Michael and I spent the day at Chesapeake City Park yesterday. It was the first "Pride" event that either of us has really taken part of. On this, the 40th anniversary of Stonewall, it's the least we can do. So many have given so much more...

Over and "Out", from my end of the rainbow, in Portsmouth, VA.

Farewell Michael Jackson...

Remember?