Month: December 2013

This account tweets real-time news from World War II, day-by-day. Today’s tweets will be from December 7, 1941 – Pearl Harbor.

It was announced about 15 minutes ago that the St.Jude marathon has been cancelled due to bad weather.

Working from home today. You know, using a netbook with a 10″ screen to proxy into a work computer with a 19″ monitor is not ideal, but it beats driving on ice I suppose.

Sitting here typing my lunchtime post as Winter Storm Cleon rages through the Mid-South. Cleon? Yep, the Weather Channel is naming winter storms now, in an attempt to establish itself as the ultimate authority about weather, even more important than NOAA. The problem is, the names the Weather Channel has picked just plain suck. What if we let Beavis and Butt-head pick winter storm names? Ass-Munch, Bunghole, Cornholio, Dumbass, Fart-Knocker. “Winter Storm Fart-Knocker is dumping sleet and freezing rain on the metro area…” That’d be cool.

Tonight’s Prohibition Dinner at Chez Philippe has been cancelled due to the weather. If my blog yesterday got you excited and you planned to go, sorry, guess it’s time to order some pizza.

If the ice cuts your power this weekend and you plan to temporarily re-locate to a hotel, you’re out of luck. Marathon runners have the hotel rooms booked. The marathon by the way, is still on as scheduled, although officials will monitor the weather.

The Max’s Sports Bar vs. Green Beetle bowling showdown scheduled for tonight has been cancelled due to the weather.

There’s a good review of A.Schwab’s new soda fountain on the Hungry Memphis blog.

At least two or three people I follow on Twitter soiled their pants this morning after the USA drew into a group with Ghana, Germany, and Portugal for the 2014 World Cup. Apparently that is THE WORST DRAW EVER and if today’s ice storm doesn’t kill us all, being in Group E will.

It’s been confirmed that the Trans-Siberian Orchestra show is on for tonight at FedExForum.

Miss Cordelia’s now has local Wiseacre Brew beers in stock.

Fsacebook quote from the Nuh-Uh Girl: “I have a love/hate relationship with the Costco sample stations.” Sigh… she just doesn’t care at all that she has a reputation for showing up wherever there’s free food. She relishes it, in fact.

Green Beetle will be closing at 4 today due to the weather.

Roser from the Chris Vernon Show reports that a trolley hit a car on South Main minutes ago. It’s getting icy out there, so please be careful and take it slow. I’m going to work for a few more hours then hit the Saucer for happy hour. Happy snow (ice) day!

 

Tomorrow night is the first-ever performance of the Trans-Siberian Orchestra’s “The Lost Christmas Eve” at the FedExForum. Great thing to do with a date or the family on a Friday evening. Here’s a preview.

Also tomorrow night is a Prohibition Repeal Dinner at the Peabody’s Chez Philippe, celebrating the 80th anniversary of the repeal of one of the stupidest laws ever. There will be a buffet supper and period cocktails. $85 per person plus tax and grat. 901-529-4188 for reservations.

Also tomorrow night is “A Rock N’ Roll Christmas” at the Cannon Center for Performing Arts. The show features Visible Music College students and special guest, Sarah Simmons from NBC’s The Voice and Neighborhood Christian Center’s Children’s Choir, with fresh interpretations of both traditional and contemporary Christmas music. Admission is free, but the music college will happily accept donations.

There’s a New York pizza place getting ready to open at 45 S. Main, a couple of doors down from DeJaVu. That’s a gutsy move, opening only a block away from Aldo’s Pizza Pies which already serves New York-style pizza. I suppose it’s better to have two pizza places within a 3-minute walk of my front door as opposed to zero, though, which was the case not long ago.

The National Weather Service has upgraded the Memphis area to a 4 on the Ice Impact Index for the predicted impact of tomorrow’s ice storm. That means “Prolonged and widespread utility interruptions. Damage to many main feeder lines possible. Utility outages lasting up to 10 days possible.”

Conversation at the Silly Goose last night: “I feel sorry for the Memphis Tigers. Between the marathon and the ice, no one is going to be able to get to the FedExForum for their game at noon Saturday.”

I replied, “Well, only Downtowners will be able to get to the arena, because we can walk. But a lot of us will probably walk to a bar and watch the game there.” The Blind Bear has proved to be a fine basketball watch spot, so I will probably land there for the game. Hopefully I will be spared the day bartender’s “tube tops are gross” comments. Who doesn’t like tube tops?

Everybody be safe driving home tonight, and if at all possible stay off the roads tomorrow. I plan on hitting the Blind Bear’s Prohibition repeal party after a couple of stops this evening.

Since it’s a speakeasy, it’s only appropriate that the Blind Bear would throw a party to celebrate the anniversary of the end of Prohibition. It will be Thursday night starting at 8 with $3 moonshine and whiskey all night. Charles will host “Waste Your Brain” trivia at 8, and then at 10 Jen & Levin take the stage.

Pizza with Santa is back next Saturday, December 14, at Aldo’s Pizza Pies from 1 to 4 PM. A $5 donation to the Mid-South Food Bank or a toy for Toys for Tots will get you a photo with Santa and more.

A. Schwab on Beale has a new retro soda fountain up and running. Flavors include Cherry Phosphate, Raspberry, Four Root. They serve sandwiches at the counter, and have Sweet Magnolia ice cream, Dinstuhl’s candies, gelatos, and sorbets. If you have kids or grandkids, this sounds like a great place to take them.

For the third day in a row, I’m mentioning the weather and its effect on Saturday’s St.Jude marathon. Organizers have posted tips to stay warm and comfortable as you run the race in the bitter cold.

MemphisWeather.net has an updated blog on the ice storm expected on Friday. We’re already under a Winter Storm Watch, which they expect to be upgraded to a Winter Storm Warning or Ice Storm Warning no later than tonight. A new index being tested by the National Weather Service locally for the first time this year, the Ice Storm Index, places Memphis and northern DeSoto County as likely to have a Level 3 Ice Storm Friday, based on accumulations and wind speed. This level of storm can produce utility interruptions of up to 5 days.

The blog also mentions that it was 70 one day before the ice storm of 1994. Those of you thinking, “The ice will melt on the roads because it’s been so warm recently” need to think again.

Home from work and headed to the Silly Goose to celebrate a friend’s birthday and the last day I will be able to wear shorts out for a while.

The first Saturday morning in December is not a great time to drive Downtown. The streets will be clogged with St. Jude Marathon runners. Best advice is to not drive at all that day, but if you must, Action News 5 has a list of what streets will be the most crowded and at what times.

The MemphisWeather.net blog has info on the icy weather that will be headed our way Friday. Temperatures will be in the mid-upper 30s Friday morning, and as they fall below freezing midday precipitation will change to freezing rain or sleet. Models indicate that enough ice may accumulate to warrant a Winter Storm Warning or an Ice Storm Warning. Yikes. I will say it again: If you’re headed to Memphis from out of town for the marathon, taking vacation and getting here Thursday would be a very good idea.

We’ve made it through Black Friday, Shop Local Saturday, and Cyber Monday. Today is Giving Tuesday. Instead of shopping for material goods for yourself or others, why not donate to a local nonprofit or charity? You have plenty of choices: A large charity like St. Jude, MIFA, or the Mid-South Food Bank; or smaller nonprofits like the Memphis Farmers Market or the Center for Southern Folklore. Or, you could give your time to a charity like Memphis Grizzlies TEAM UP that mentors young people.

Obsidian’s PR 180 project has launched for 2014. Your organization could win six months of pro bono PR from the firm, and receive the same focus and resources as Obsidian’s paid clients. Apply here. Nominations will run through December 6. On December 9, voting will begin on Obsidian’s Facebook page, and will run through the 16th. Two winners will be selected.

The Redbirds have announced a special exhibition game against the defending National League champions, the St. Louis Cardinals, for March 28 at AutoZone Park. “The Battle of the Birds” will be the Redbirds’ final pre-season game leading up to Opening Day.

Good article on Josh Pastner on the USA TODAY website today.

That’s it for this Tuesday. As usual I will play the 8 PM poker game at the Blind Bear tonight.

CONGRATULATIONS to Coach Josh Pastner on getting that first win over a Top 25 team, and what a win it was! Memphis beat #5 Oklahoma State to win the Old Spice Classic last night, 73-68. Shaq Goodwin was named tournament MVP, and also American Athletic Conference Player of the Week. Austin Nichols was named conference Freshman of the Week. Your city is so proud of you, Tigers! Here’s a full report from CBSSports.com.

Bad weather is on the way for the weekend. The MemphisWeather.net forecast shows temps falling on Friday with rain changing to freezing rain or sleet. Very cold on Saturday, and then another chance of ice or snow on Sunday. I had a St. Jude half-marathon runner email me today and ask how Memphis handles icy weather. The answer is, not well at all. If you are coming from out of town for this Saturday’s race, I would recommend taking vacation and getting here Thursday if it all possible.

The marathon/half-marathon is not the only thing happening on Saturday. The Tigers have a home game at noon. The SEC championship will be played that day, and the bars will be packed with people watching the game. The Grizzlies have a home game at 7. Also at 7 will be Bob & Roland’s 9th annual Stumblin’ Santa pub crawl and toy drive. Last year over 700 Santas marched around Downtown, and it will probably be even bigger this year. If you want to join in, put on a Santa suit or other and bring a toy to the first stop, the Flying Saucer, about 7.

A man is accused of punching a cop and throwing another cop through a window at B.B. King’s Sunday morning. Read the story here.

That’s all for now. I am just dead tired but will try to make it out for a little while after work.