Very useful for designer friends who want meatier designs…

One can seer the Leer Tower from the loading dock at UAB. I always thought the tower was topped by an old radio antenna but found out recently in a John Archibald column in the Birmingham News that the short steel structure on top is actually a dirigible mooring mast.

It amuses me that a bygone builder had the foresight to envision a sky full of Zeppelins above Magic City queueing up to be docked.

That’s why it’s Magic City, I suppose.

We tried Rock ‘n’ Roll Quotes with my news writing class this week, an exercise in notetaking stolen from David Swartzlander at Doane College.

Played some tunes in class and asked students to write down the lyrics. Started fairly slowly with a ballad. The kids got a fair amount.

Shifted to mid-tempo. Notetaking was much slower.

When I hit Subterranean Home Sick Blues at the end of the exercise, I could hear the pens drop on the desks.

Bwahahaha.

Gary Witte’s cover shot for the Mountain Warrior is outstanding. Sent to me by his proud dad… because as we all know Gary would never be a relentless self-promoter.

This little video tribute to four decades of Allman Brothers inventiveness is a wonderful animation.

Using different versions of Statesboro Blues as a canvas for the creation of the band over forty years. Many who have lived in the ‘boro have a special fondness for this tune.

Well done. Rock on!

Thanks to Adam Drew for suggesting that we get a Honda Element in 2003. Today it rolled up to 100,000 miles. Except for the deer we totaled in 2007 outside Lexington, Kentucky, and a couple of flat tires, our rides with the Element have been great. Thanks, Adam!

Last heard a commentary by Mr. Schorr a couple of weeks ago on a road trip. Sharp, articulate and acerbic to the end. Another giant in journalism’s old guard is silent.

It really doesn’t matter, but I do feel somehwat safer with Lindsey Lohan behind bars. Now if we can get the papparazzi — who will now start the incessant Countdown To Lindsey’s Freedom — to turn off their cell phones and check themselves into The Gray Bar Hotel, we’ll be all set.