Waking up from a nap during a drive back from the beach, a young girl catches a glimpse of the Sunsphere and immediately knows it’s only a short hour until she’s back home for a more comfortable nap in her bed.

The young girl, now an adult, was me.

I’ve heard mixed reviews about the Sunsphere from different Knoxvillians. Some say it’s atrocious, while others have no clue what the thing is. Even Bart Simpson thought there may be a wig shop inside (and here’s a blog I stumbled upon looking for a video clip of the episode). I can remember taking field trips to the Knoxville Zoo in kindergarten and driving past, thinking it was a golden tee-ball perched on a stand.

Either way, it’s one of Knoxville’s most prominent pieces of architecture.

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After talking with Brad Hill this week and reviewing the local chatbox, it seems that the panhandling issue Downtown is still a huge topic of debate. I would like to quote Brad’s question for the KFQ:

What, if any, impact do panhandlers have on Downtown quality of life?

Photography by Seth Gaines

When I meet Knoxify readers, I often ask if they’re an RSS subscriber. Surprisingly, the most common response is a confused face.

To shed some light on RSS feeds and subscriptions, I have provided a step-by-step tutorial below so that you can learn how to easily follow all of your favorite Knoxville blogs.

This may be very elementary to a few folks but remember that this was written for someone who has never heard of RSS before.

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As others have noted (see here, here and here), the Buck Karnes (Alcoa Highway) bridge pedestrian lane is open. At 12 feet wide, it offers plenty of room for bike and foot traffic along with some great views of the Tennessee River. This lane is part of a larger plan to connect the Knox and Blount County Greenways.

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Congrats to Eric Bell, a former Farragut Native and Knoxvillian, a Triathalon World Champ. Currently, on his way back from Vancover, British Columbia…via an email from Eric:

It is a dream that stirs in me long before I ever realized it was so. I have wanted to compete for the United States of America, in something…anything. I have been a runner for many years. I ran in middle school, high school, and then on to college, where I ran for the University of Tennessee. After college, I did what society expects from every graduate…I got a JOB. I am fortunate that it came with many great opportunities.

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