Lots of stuff to cover today, folks, let’s get to it.
First of all, if you monitor any earthquake watch sites, keep an eye on the Salton Sea in Southern California (it’s southeast of Palm Springs). This below-sea-level, salt water sea has experienced dozens of small earthquakes in the 2.5 to 4 range over the past few days. This is rather unusual, and so I researched it online… it appears that this could be (note: not is, but could be) a warning sign that the next Big One is going to strike along the southern part of the San Andreas Fault. Some researchers believe that the faults under the Salton Sea could trigger movement along the San Andreas. A big quake in that area could severely damage Palm Springs, Indio, and other towns in the Coachella Valley, as well as Mexicali, Baja California, Mexico. The quake would be felt in San Diego and L.A. Keep your eye on this if you know people who live in the area. Here’s a link to an L.A. Times article about the quakes.
I’ve received several links to a CNN article about the website PimpThisBum.com. A father-and-son web development team, wanting to get their name out there and wanting to practice driving traffic to a website, set up a donation website for a homeless man who panhandled in Houston. All money collected went to the homeless man; the only stipulation was that he had to add “www.pimpthisbum.com” to signs he held up asking for money. The ethics of this have been hotly debated. I’m making no judgment either way, but here are the pros and cons:
- PRO: $50,000 was raised for the homeless man. He also received a donation of a free week of alcohol treatment in Seattle, which he has accepted. He realizes this is an opportunity to conquer his demons once and for all, and it looks like he’s serious about it. The 50 grand will finance a place to live and training he needs to find steady work. He has developed real friendships with the site’s developers and many of the people he’s met in the site’s chat room.
- CON: People claim this is little more than exploitation, that the site’s developers are using the homeless man to make a name for themselves. The site does not do anything, they claim, to cure the homeless problem in Houston and in other cities around the U.S.
Read the article, check out the site, make your own judgment. That’s all I have to say about this one.
Look forward to spring block parties on three Thursdays: April 16, May 21, and June 18. These will be on the block of Main between Gayoso and Peabody Place, a block that features more Memphis Flyer “Best Of” winners than any other block in the city. There will be food and drink specials, live music, retail discounts, and more. Among the participants are the Majestic Grille, Circa, Center for Southern Folklore, Shelton Clothiers, Silly Goose, and Bluefin.
Due to popular demand, the Majestic Grille is bringing back its Sunday Suppers and a Movie. This Sunday they’ll show It Happened One Night (1934), the Academy Award winner featuring Clark Gable and Claudette Colbert. A special menu will be available at 6:30 (movie starts at 7) including an iceberg wedge, beef pot roast, baked potato, and one of the Majestic’s signature desserts-in-a-glass for $22.
Our Tigers got eliminated last night… still, congratulations to them on a fantastic season. They fought until the very end, pulling within six in the final minutes after being down 64-40.
Speaking of teams that have been eliminated, here’s a great article from the Onion about the Tennessee Men’s Lady Vols being eliminated from the NCAA tournament. It contains quotes from Bruce Pearl, head coach of the Men’s Lady Vols.
Sole restaurant in the Westin was reviewed in the CA this morning.
If the severe weather stays clear of Memphis this evening, I’ll be at Trolley Tour. Otherwise, not sure, probably somewhere watching the tournament.