Sphere of peace in temporary home

“The sculpture up there was recovered from Ground Zero,” said the tour director on the bus that had taken the 50 eighth graders, me and other chaperones to New York City.
Wow! The sphere of entwined metals was a reminder of the heat generated after the planes hijacked by terrorists struck the World Trade Center. At least, that is what I thought.
Wow! was the reaction again when I read the plaque beside the sculpture. The irony was painful.
The plaque alongside The Sphere reads as follows:
“For three decades, this sculpture stood in the plaza of the World Trade Center. Entitled "The Sphere", it was conceived by artist Fritz Koenig as a symbol of world peace. It was damaged during the tragic events of September 11, 2001, but endures as an icon of hope and the indestructible spirit of this country. The Sphere was placed here on March 11, 2002 as a temporary memorial to all who lost their lives in the terrorist attacks at the World Trade Center. This eternal flame was ignited on September 11, 2002 in honor of all those that were lost. Their spirit and sacrifice will never be forgotten.”
The Sphere promoting world peace rests in Historic Battery Park a few blocks from Ground Zero and where ferries transport visitors to the Statue of Liberty.
The sculpture will be returned to its original home once the Freedom Tower project is completed.

Look out - the relatives are coming!

Americans are looking to the hospitality of family and friends as they squeeze vacation plans into budgets tightened by soaring gas costs.
According to a survey from AOL Travel and Zogby International, 57 percent of Americans feel they have less money to spend this year on summer vacations than they did in 2007 and are looking at ways to save on their travel costs.
To save money, 33 percent of Americans are planning to stay with friends/family for lodging while 37 percent plan to drive rather than fly. Twenty percent of those surveyed are planning a vacation rental instead of a hotel.
These are just some of the many findings from a new interactive survey of Americans ages 18 and older that uncovers how Americans are planning to travel this summer.
"Due to the challenging economic outlook, rising fuel prices and the declining U.S. dollar abroad, money is tight for some and our survey shows that one-third of Americans are in fact changing how they travel just to save on costs," said Jim Kovarik, GM of AOL Travel. "Despite this, Americans won't forgo their summer vacations."

Are you dusting off the welcome mat to greet relatives?
How do you court an invitation to a family member’s lakeside home or mountain retreat?
Are the memories sweet or sour of a vacation with relatives?
Any tips for not wearing out your welcome?