Category: Uncategorized

An open letter to Donald Trump and Sunday news

Dear Donald,

You may have heard that I don’t like you. In this post, I’d like to address that.

You see, Donald, I like winners. I like people who win. And that’s not you.

You lost, Donald. You lost to Joe Biden, a man who is a minion of Barack Obama. Barack Hussein Obama, a Muslim from Kenya or Hawaii or one of those shithole countries.

You lost to a Democractic party that was divided. Fragmented. You had Biden along with Klobuchar, Mayor Pete and the other moderates. Then you had Bernie Sanders, Elizabeth Warren and the others on the far left. But at the end of the day it didn’t matter. There were some very fine people on both sides.

You’re a loser, Donald. Not only are you a LOSER, but you are a FAILURE. You are a failed one-term president. Only 3 other times in the past hundred years did the public think so little of a sitting president that they refused to give him a second term: Herbert Hoover, Jimmy Carter, and George H.W. Bush. And now you.

You know who else lost a presidential election? Crooked Hillary. Just think about that, Donald, you’re the same as Hillary now. A failure. All that remains is for you to be fitted for a pantsuit. What color do you want? I think pink would look good on you. We’ll probably have to make it out of M.C. Hammer parachute pants because your ass is so big.

You let Sleepy Joe swoop in and capture the presidency from you. I like people whose presidencies didn’t get captured.

Donald, you’re fired.

Or as a sign held at a celebration outside the White House put it yesterday: Game Over, Fascist Clown.

More losers: Clemson lost. Tennessee lost (to Arkansas). Good ole West Virginny lost. It must have been a sad day for the old poots at the corner table.

In this abbreviated season, I don’t see how Clemson stays in the playoff conversation. If Cincy remains undefeated and remains on the outside looking in at Clemson in the playoffs, that will prove that the Power Five are the haves and the other conferences are the have-nots.

Meanwhile, the Memphis Tigers came back from being down 33-20 in the fourth quarter to defeat the South Florida Bulls. On a Saturday in November when Memphis saw sunny 80-degree weather… could yesterday have been any more perfect?

From Bleacher Report: Winners and losers of Week 10 of college football

St. Vincent de Paul at 1306 Monroe, which has fed the homeless for many years, now seeks a permit to offer shelter as well. The organization plans to partner with Room In The Inn. COVID-19 has limited shelter beds this year, increasingly a problem as the weather starts to turn cold.

Here’s a link to James Aycock’s Shelby County COVID-19 week in review.

Several boats caught on fire at the Mud Island marina about 7 yesterday morning. One boat was a total loss. The marina itself sustained $200,000 worth of damage.

Speaking of Mud Island, if your life just isn’t complete without an unused ticket from the August 9, 1987 STRYPER concert at the amphitheater there, you’re in luck – there’s one on sale on eBay for the incredibly low amount of $14.99.

The Daily Memphian has a Day Tripper article about my hometown of Little Rock. If you go and only have one time for one meal, it should be Mexican and there must be cheese dip. They’re calling it Ark-Mex now, which is not a surprise since Texas is a dirty word there. Whoa, there’s an Argentian restaurant over there… now that’s something I’d like to try.

From Action News 5: National Civil Rights Museum reflects on historic Vice-President-Elect Kamala Harris.

If Georgia is called for Biden – and he’s in the lead there right now – he will have a total of 306 electoral votes, two more than the 2016 “Electoral College landslide” that Trump has bragged about so many times.

Truck Fump and Cluck Femson. Back tomorrow.

Saturday update

There are reports on Nextdoor of several shootings that happened in the area of Seventh and Greenlaw last night. A woman who posted said her house and the one next door were shot up while she was in the living room with her grandchildren. Y’all who live in Uptown be careful. That neighborhood has seen a lot of redevelopment in the past 20 years, but from what I hear on the police scanner and see on Nextdoor, that neighborhood can still be pretty wild after the sun goes down.

Sounds like some of those Blue CRUSH cameras need to be installed…

The Daily Memphian reported a list of restaurants that are going to do weekly pool testing of employees, to go that extra mile to ensure that diners remain safe from COVID-19. Downtown restaurants include

  • 117 Prime
  • Bishop
  • Catherine & Mary’s
  • Central BBQ
  • Cocozza
  • Felicia Suzanne Restaurant
  • Gray Canary
  • Majestic Grille
  • McEwen’s
  • Rendezvous
  • Sunrise Memphis

One of my cigar smoking friends reports that the Tinder Box is back open on South Main.

Memphis hosts South Florida at 11 AM today at the Liberty Bowl. The game will be broadcast on the ESPN+ subscription service. Other notable games:

  • #23 Michigan at #13 Indiana, FS1, 11 AM
  • #8 Georgia at #5 Florida, CBS, 2:30 PM
  • #1 Clemson at #4 Notre Dame, 6:30 PM, NBC
  • Tennessee at Arkansas, 6:30 PM, SEC Network

The old poots at the corner table at Max’s are going to be up well past their bedtimes tonight watching those evening games. I doubt I will make it that far south today but I will be rooting for the Hogs and the Irish wherever I watch.

Fishbowl and The Lookout are open as Bass Pro at the Pyramid opens its restaurants top to bottom this week. Fishbowl is the former Uncle Buck’s with a new concept and management.

The Memphis Flyer reports that another brewery will open in Memphis. Hampline hopes to be open in the Broad & Tillman area by New Year’s.

From Local 24: Jake Schorr plans to keep his Thanksgiving dinner for the homeless alive at Westy’s this year, despite COVID. Guests won’t be able to dine inside this year because of social distancing.

COVID Act Now reports that the virus’s reproduction rate in Shelby County is back under 1, coming in at 0.99 this morning.

The Trumpster’s chief of staff has been diagnosed with COVID-19.

Election update: As of this morning, Biden is leading the popular vote by more than 4 million. FiveThirtyEight reports that Biden’s lead in Pennsylvania is now over 28,000, with 90,000 mail-in ballots and 100,000 provisional ballots, expected to skew Democratic, left to be counted. There is speculation that Pennsylvania might be called for Biden this weekend, which would be ballgame, putting him over 270.

Here’s a link to the definition of narcissistic collapse. We all need to become familiar with this term, because we’re going to witness a very public one over the next two and a half months.

That’s it for now. Back tomorrow with more news.

Friday update

The Downtown Christmas tree lighting has been announced for Friday, November 27, 4 to 6 PM, at the usual corner of Main and Peabody Place. If this were a normal year, kids would be able to get their photos taken sitting on Santa’s lap. However, having Santa come in contact with hundreds of kids could turn into a COVID-19 super-spreader event. So this year, they’re doing something different. Santa will be enclosed inside a snowglobe near the Christmas tree. The globe will be decorated with artwork from the kids at St. Jude. From 4 to 6 that afternoon, your kids will be able to pose for COVID-safe photos with Santa.

If you don’t want to wait until the end of the month to see Santa, he will make an appearance tomorrow 5-7 PM at the reimagined Santa’s Wonderland at Bass Pro at the Pyramid. Elves will hand out crafts and hot cocoa, and Christmas music will be playing. Bring your homemade signs to let Santa know what you want. Reservations must be booked in advance for this drive-by event.

I didn’t watch the COVID-19 press conference yesterday, but here are a few things @local24brad shared:

  • There is still a big problem with people continuing their day-to-day routines even after they have developed symptoms that could possibly indicate COVID
  • Quick, cheap pool testing/assurance testing will be rolled out to industries like restaurants whose workers are at a high risk due to contact with the public every day
  • Despite the surge, health department director Dr. Haushalter said there are NO plans to bring back restrictions. Well, that’ll make the Facebook “health experts” unhappy.

Tomorrow would be a great day to grab some soul food at Alcenia’s, as the restaurant in the Pinch celebrates its 23rd anniversary.

The PRVLG play the Huling Station outdoor dining space across the street from Grecian Gourmet and Memphis Soul Food today 5-7.

Ohio State has withdrawn from the Crossover Classic, to be played in South Dakota and in which the Memphis Tigers are a participant, the week of Thanksgiving. The DM reports that Saint Mary’s will be the replacement. If the name sounds familiar, they’re a frequent NCAA tournament team, known for being the second-best team in the conference Gonzaga dominates. If Memphis beats St. Mary’s in the opening round, they’ll face Texas A&M or good ole West Virginny in the second round, and a victory in that game would put them in the championship final. We won’t have to wait long to find out how good the Tigers really are this year.

The NBA’s Players Association has approved a 72-game schedule for 2020-21 with a December 22 start. The season would get done before the Summer Olympics™ get started in July. With a start two months later than normal, I wonder if that means back-to-back-to-backs will return.

From Local 24: The legend of music teacher Elmertha Cole lives on at the Eight & Sand bar at Central Station Hotel.

Vintage plays The Vault tonight at 8.

The presidential election remains undecided this morning, with Nevada and Georgia leaning Biden (just barely in Georgia’s case) and Alaska, Pennsylvania, and North Carolina leaning Trump. FiveThirtyEight reports that many of the outstanding Pennsylvania votes are mail-ins from the Philadelphia metro which could flip that state blue. A Biden win in any of the states mentioned except Alaska would give him enough electoral votes to win the presidency. (Edit 7:59 AM: Biden has taken the lead in Pennsylvania.)

Those are the facts. I am going to leave opinions out of this until the race gets called one way or the other. Could happen today. I don’t understand how a state as sparsely populated as Nevada could take this long. Someone ride out to the Ponderosa and collect the last votes from Ben, Adam, Hoss, and Little Joe so we can get this show on the road.

Today’s Politico Playbook discusses how the House and Senate could be a place for further shenanigans in January when it’s time to certify the vote.

FiveThirtyEight’s live blog is a good way to stay up to date with election coverage while you’re at work and can’t be in front of a TV.

That’s it for today. Back tomorrow with more news.

Thursday update

Geoff Calkins interviewed local health experts Dr. Manoj Jain and Dr. Jon McCullers for The Daily Memphian this week, asking them, when will we get back to packed sports arenas? The answer is not what anybody wants to hear, with McCullers advising to shoot for Super Bowl 2022, and if we get there a few months ahead of schedule, that’s gravy.

My concern upon hearing that answer is not the Tigers or the Grizzlies but a different team – my BBQ team. If Tom Lee Park cannot be packed at any point in 2021, that could be the death knell for Memphis in May. Also, if packed arenas aren’t possible until 2022, does that mean restaurants have to put up with this social distancing crap for another year? That’s going to drive many of them into bankruptcy.

StyleBlueprint has a list of must-try Memphis coffee shops. Downtown shops on the list include Bluff City Coffee at 505 S. Main, Comeback Coffee at 358 N. Main, Tam & Tap at 1220 Gayoso Alley, and Edge Alley at 600 Monroe. I still have not been to Comeback Coffee yet. Are laptoppers allowed to hang out in there and sip a beverage while they work? Or is that still a COVID no-no? Now that I’m a professional writer, I would love a coffee shop where I could hang out and write. At least until the Cossitt Library opens… I am going to be ALL ABOUT that place.

Service industry jobs news: The Blind Bear, having released a new menu, is getting busier and is hiring a door host, barback, dishwasher, and cook.

Also, Rizzo’s by Michael Patrick is looking to hire a host or hostess.

If you know any seniors in need, there’s an opportunity for them to receive a free heated blanket.

Some big personal news this morning. Earlier this week I wrote a story on Medium entitled Tech Support: How to Save Time and Prevent Stress. When I woke up this morning I found a note from an editor of The Startup, the largest Medium-based publication with over 722,000 followers, saying they loved it and asked if I’d like to submit it for publication. I did and it has been accepted. I’ve been in four other Medium-based publications, but The Startup is as big as it gets. I feel like there’s no stopping me now!

Obviously I am watching the presidential election results with great interest. I will refrain from commenting until a winner has been called. If you haven’t been keeping up, one candidate is looking to be in much better shape than the other with votes still being counted in a handful of swing states. However, the tallies are close enough to trigger recounts and lawsuits.

That’s it for right now. Fairly slow news day because everyone’s waiting for the election results. Back tomorrow with more news.

Wednesday update

That election though… I just don’t have the words… not yet. It looks more and more like that electoral scenario of doom I floated Monday, with the election hinging on Pennsylvania with that state’s votes taking forever to count, may play out.

I discovered a website which is good if you want some in-depth reading to take your mind off America’s troubles: Longform. If you prefer to listen rather than read, they have a podcast too.

If you need another reading distraction: I’d hardly call today a Celebration Day, but Memphis magazine has a long piece on the role Memphis played in the recording of Led Zeppelin III. The album’s 50th anniversary is this year.

The COVID-19 task force press conference yesterday was about as exciting as watching paint dry. Health Department director Dr. Haushalter stressed once again that if you express any symptoms, whether they could be attributed to COVID, the flu, or the common cold, you need to cease all activities immediately. You need to go get tested for COVID, stay away from others, and stay home until you either get a negative result or until the 10-day isolation period for COVID (including 1 day free from fever and symptoms) has passed.

County Health Officer Dr. Bruce Randolph spoke to faith-related venues. He stressed that the Health Department is available to advise on best practices for safely returning to in-person worship.

WREG has more on the demise of Lew’s Blue Note Bar & Grill, one of the few African-American owned businesses on Beale, due to COVID-19. Fellow business owner Tater Red was quoted as saying more businesses on the street could have to close soon.

Tomorrow’s Stout Day at the Wiseacre taproom – the Broad Avenue one, not the Downtown one. (When is cool stuff like this gonna start happening Downtown?) Details:

Stout Day 2020 is right around the corner, with dark beers taking over Thursday, November 5th. The world will join in a global toast to this rich and full-bodied style and we hope you do too!
15% discount available on Gotta Get Up To Get Down Draft, 6pk, 12pk ONLY + we will have a few surprise Stouts as draft only releases too!

Good news: The MemphisWeather.net forecast shows highs in the 70s for the next week with little chance of rain until next Tuesday.

The never-ending debate goes on: Memphis in May wants to tweak Tom Lee Park redesign plans

The Downtown Fogleman YMCA holds a hiring fair today 10 to 2. Here’s what you need to know:

  • Bring forms of identification to fill out an I-9
  • Be prepared to undergo a health screening before your interview. Mask must be worn at all times inside the building
  • Bring references, including contact email addresses
  • Drug testing will be done onsite

That’s it. I’m tired, having stayed up until 11 then got up at 4 to keep an eye on the election results. I said that after work Wednesday, I’d go out for a few PBRs either to celebrate, to drown my sorrows, or to dull the frustration of not knowing. Looks like it’ll be door number 3. Back tomorrow with more news.

Tuesday update

The day we’ve all been anticipating is finally here. Please get out and vote today if you haven’t done so already.

The big news coming out of Downtown the past 24 hours is that Downtown Memphis Commission president Jennifer Oswalt is stepping down at the end of the year. She was not actively job-hunting but was sought out by the Haslam family, including former governor Bill Haslam and his brother who owns the Cleveland Browns. They want her to manage the family fortune. Although unexpected, it was the dream offer of a lifetime and she couldn’t say no. Congratulations Jennifer, and thanks for leading Downtown’s growth through a very challenging time.

The Memphis Business Journal has a slideshow of King & Union Grocery, which has taken over the former TGI Friday’s space at B.B. King and Union across from the ballpark. The accompanying article is behind a paywall but the slideshow is free.

From Dr. Bean’s Coffee and Tea Emporium:

Hey friends. Most of you have probably heard by now that our storefront and home @409puckfoodhall is officially closing by the end of the year. Though this saddens us deeply, we are so incredibly lucky to have worked out a move that’s right across the street! The Dr. Bean’s crew will be returning to the place Memphians were first able to buy our beans in person almost 5 years ago— 387 South Main! Stay connected with us on social media to learn more about the move as it comes. Thank you for your continued love and support of our team and our coffee.

COVID-19 has claimed another Memphis restaurant, this time on Beale Street. Lew’s Blue Note Bar & Grill has bitten the dust. Here’s the announcement:

Closing of blue note bar and Grill 341beale street Memphis Tennessee it is with a heavy heart that my family and I have made the difficult decision to close our doors at Lew ‘s blue note bar and Grill effective October 27 2020.The covid 19 pandemic has caused a struggle. We would like to thank each and every one of you who have supported us over the last seven years. We will miss seeing, serving and entertaining you all and we pray that you will pray for us and for our nation during these desperate times. Lastly we ask that you please get out and Vote because our lives and livelihoods depend on it. Always remember that when we stick together we can’t be broken. Thank you for patronizing our business over the years and please share this post with our many guests and friends. We love you all and will miss you deeply. Lew ,marilyn and blue note staff.

Rather than doing a signature wing sauce this month, the New Wing Order food truck is celebrating National Nacho Day this Friday with a month of Nacho November specials.

Here’s the food truck’s schedule. No November dates Downtown, unfortunately, but they’ll be a short ride away at Crosstown Brewing on the 11th and Memphis Made on the 21st.

The Grizzlies have announced a partnership with online sportsbook FanDuel.

Shred415 will host a donation-based fitness class on the river on Thursday, November 5. Join them in Tom Lee Park for a 45-minute HIIT workout, then stick around for a cold beer by Grind City Brewing while you hear plans about changes to the park. Donations will go to Memphis River Parks Partnership.

Tech nonprofit CodeCrew, which has taught more than 2000 kids in Memphis how to write code in the past 5 years, has received a $50,000 donation from Verizon. Among the classes they offer is drone programming. It’s an exciting time to be a kid!

Shelby County has fallen out of the red zone for COVID-19 cases. We are down to 22.8 new cases per day per 100,000 this morning, according to COVID Act Now, down from a high in the low 30s and below the threshold of 25 at which Harvard says stay-home orders should be considered. R-nought, the reproduction rate, is down to 1.07 from a high of around 1.25 last week, and the positivity rate has dropped back below 10%. Still not great news, but at least things are starting to trend back in the right direction.

Meanwhile, Nashville, despite still being in the red zone, has moved forward into Phase 3 of its reopening, allowing restaurants and bars additional freedom. That’s a promising sign that the bars won’t close a third time here; it’s unlikely the SCHD would move backward when the most similar major municipality in the state is moving forward with reopening.

Don’t forget: Free fares on MATA vehicles today. It’s for Election Day, but why not take advantage and hop a trolley to a restaurant offering a Downtown Dining Week special?

Everyone’s talking about the states that will take days to report election results. However, the majority of states should report results tonight, unless it is a very close call. These include three Eastern Time Zone swing states:

  • Florida
  • North Carolina
  • Ohio

I have not seen an electoral simulation in WEEKS in which Trump won a second term without carrying all three of these states. (Mouse over the red dots in FiveThirtyEight’s electoral simulator to see what I mean.) If one of these states gets called for Biden, Trump is in big trouble; if two are called for Biden, Trump is all but done. On the other hand, if all three get called for Trump, Biden is not necessarily finished but becomes the underdog. As of this post (about 5:30 AM Election Day) the RealClearPolitics polling averages for those states were

  • Florida: Biden 0.9
  • North Carolina: Trump 0.2
  • Ohio: Trump 1.4

That’s all I’ve got this morning. VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE.

 

Sunday update

Downtown Dining Week has arrived! Today through Saturday, November 7, 66 restaurants are participating, offering some amazing deals and enticing you to get out and try new things. I’m going to repeat my yearly comments here, with an additional sense of urgency because of COVID-19.

  • Please, please, PLEASE don’t make reservations for the same time, same night at multiple restaurants because your group hasn’t decided where to go yet – and then no-show all the restaurants but one. Even in the best of times, this is rude to other diners who miss out on a table, and to the restaurants who miss out on revenue. This is magnified by social distancing restrictions that cut the total number of guests to half or less.
  • Please be understanding of your servers. They are going to be very busy. Try to let them know everything your table needs all at once and don’t run them back and forth to the kitchen.
  • 30% tip. In previous years I suggested this as “a nice thing to do.” In pandemic times I suggest this as “ought to be mandatory.” Your servers had their restaurants closed for at least a month and a half this year, and since then have tried to survive waiting on social distanced tables. Recognize that you’re getting a deal on your food and take care of your servers very well.

I’m still digging through the DDW menus trying to figure out if and where I want to dine… those fried ribs with two sides, a drink, and dessert at Chef Tam’s Underground Cafe sure sound tempting. I might have to hit that place later in the week.

Looks like DDW is my only piece of news for today… it’s a heck of a piece of news though. Back tomorrow with more.

Saturday update

Happy Halloween! With COVID numbers surging, I’m going to stick to my original plan and stay in all day today. If you go out, please be safe. Wear a mask that properly covers your nose and mouth and carry hand sanitizer if your day’s plans make it inconvenient for you to get to soap and water.

Three other timely reminders before we move on to the news:

  1. Don’t forget to set your clocks before going to bed tonight. Ar 2 AM we “fall back” to 1 AM, Daylight Time ends, and Standard Time begins.
  2. Evening rush hour the first workday after Standard Time begins is when Memphis drivers are at their batshit craziest, weaving in and out of lanes, tailgating, and texting while driving. Don’t be on the interstate Monday about 5 if you can avoid it.
  3. Tomorrow is 50% off Halloween candy day at Walgreens. Doors at the Downtown location open at 10 Sundays. With COVID-19 depressing trick-or-treating, there’s an excellent chance that the good stuff survived on the shelves to see the November 1 sale.

Everybody has their own definition of “the good stuff.” For me it’s the 100-count bags that are a mixture of Hershey’s, Kit Kat, Reese’s peanut butter cups, and Almond Joy. No candy corn!

There will be a Spooky Spokes bike ride departing from River Garden Park, 51 N. Riverside. today at 4:30. Wear your costume (with a mask that protects against COVID-19) and join the fun.

DJ Tree and DJ Mylon Webb will supply the music at Slider Inn Downtown for Halloween this evening. Costume contest with $100 for best, $50 for second, and $25 for worst. Bring your costumed pups into Slider Inn’s large backyard for some edible treats. The fun kicks off at 8 PM.

In other Slider Inn Downtown news, 30 Minute Ego plays 1-4 Sunday.

The Aldo family of restaurants is now hiring for the two Aldo’s Pizza Pies, the two Slider Inns, Bardog, and Momma’s. See flyer below:

In this time of suffering and uncertainty, we need comfort food to reassure us. With that in mind, McDonald’s will bring back the McRib on December 2. The sandwich was last seen on menus eight years ago.

Starting tomorrow, you can legally gamble on sports online in Tennessee. MORE: DraftKings launches in Tennessee

Hat tip to Air Traffic Mike for supplying this link: Shitshow, the perfectly named wine for 2020. I can think of a couple of bars where this could be the house wine.

Memphis reprazent: Metro Nashville Police give chase to two men from stolen car; when arrested, the men told the police, “We’re from Memphis. That’s what we do.”

One of those cool apartments above Huey’s/Automatic Slim’s on Second facing the Peabody is for rent. You don’t see those on the rental market very often.

Riverfront Story Time happens tomorrow from 4:00 to 4:30 PM at River Garden Park, 51 N. Riverside. It’s presented by Cossitt Library and the book will be Feathers for Lunch by Lois Ehlert. A crafts activity will accompany the reading. Everything will be social distanced. Parents are asked to remain with their kids during story time.

The Memphis Tigers play #7 Cincinnati on ESPN at 11. Cincinnati is in the hunt for a New Year’s Six bowl and is a dark horse for the CFP semifinals, so a road win over the Bearcats would be huge. Other games of interest today:

  • Michigan State at #13 Michigan, 11 AM, FOX
  • Mississippi State at #2 Alabama, 6 PM, ESPN
  • Texas at #6 Oklahoma State, 3 PM, FOX
  • Arkansas at #8 Texas A&M, 6:30 PM, SEC Network

In 38 years of watching professional wrestling, I have never seen a heel/bad guy as effective as Roman Reigns is right now. He’s on Smackdown on the Fox network 7-9 every Friday. If an ’80s wrestling connection helps, Reigns is the son of Sika the Wild Samoan and the self-appointed “Tribal Chief” of the large islander family.

Election prediction roundup this morning as of about 7:30:

I got hit with an unexpected expense (had to pay $70 to upgrade to Evernote Premium) so I’m going to stay home until after the election to make up the cost. Wednesday will be a going-out day though; I’ll either be drinking to celebrate, or to drown my sorrows, or out of frustration of not knowing an outcome. I plan to keep the blog going between now and then though. Check back tomorrow for more news.