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The election of 1980 was the first one in which I was old enough to understand what was going on. I wasn’t a big fan of President Carter, and I really hoped that Ted Kennedy would defeat him in the primaries and secure the Democratic nomination.

As it turned out, that didn’t happen… and it was a good thing. As a result of losing the nomination, Senator Kennedy found the place where he could best serve the public… and it was in the Senate seat he already held. Over four and a half decades he secured voting rights, funding for AIDS treatment, equity for Americans with disabilities. He fought apartheid in South Africa. He kept the push for national health care alive even though twice defeated in 1971 and 1993. He became the de facto opposition leader during the conservative era that lasted from approximately 1981 to 2008. In the last years of his life he served as a political father figure to Barack Obama and other leaders of the next generation. Even those who disagreed with his politics could not argue that the man was placed on this Earth to serve others, especially the poor and less fortunate.

Rest in peace, Senator Kennedy. Our nation is so much stronger because of you.

Check out Kennedy’s Wikipedia page for a biography.

MIFA is holding a volunteer fair this Saturday, August 29, from 9 AM to 1 PM. If you’re unable to volunteer during the week due to work or school, this is a good chance to help. You’ll be able to select the kind of activity you most enjoy doing. Activities include delivering meals, training to be a handyman volunteer project leader, preparing celebration bags for children and seniors, learning about serving MIFA as a rep in your congregation, and more. There will also be youth activities for ages 9-13.

A group called Common Ground is planning sessions for this fall, one for the weeks of September 14 to October 26, and another for the weeks of October 12 to November 30. In Common Ground groups, 10 people of all different races and backgrounds – men, women, blacks, whites, Asians, Native Americans, Hispanics, different ehtnic backgrounds, different religions, different generations – come together for an open, frank discussion on race relations, led by a trained facilitator. For more info or to take part in one of the groups, check out their website for more info.

The Public Relations Society of Memphis (PRSSA) is holding a mixer this Thursday, August 27, on the rooftop of Pembroke Square. It’s open to anyone in PR, marketing, advertising, and communications – you don’t have to be a PRSSA member. The event is the PRSSA’s VOX take-in party, where they take in entries for the annual awards competition. There will be a chance to win door prizes from the Peabody, Harrah’s, Arts Memphis, Malco, Corky’s, and more. There will also be a cash bar, a masseuse and make-up artist to help you relax after the work day, and complimentary appetizers. Free food? The Nuh-Uh Girl is in marketing. Wonder if she’ll show up.

Do you own a scooter? Are you an Elvis fan? If the answer to either of those questions is “yes,” you should check out the Memphis Kings scooter club’s Dead Elvis III scooter rally to be held in Downtown Memphis the week of September 11-13. Cookouts, rides to sites of Elvis significance, and more.

A couple of unique parties are coming to the Red Rooster in the next month. This Friday, August 28, they will have a Stop Light Party. According to the instructions, it works like this: If you’re taken/in a relationship, wear red. If you’re dating but you’re leaving your options open, wear yellow. If you’re completely single, wear green. Hmmm. Would be interesting to be a fly on the wall for this one…

Then on Thursday, September 17, the Rooster is having a foam party. That’s basically what it sounds like… they fill the place up with foam and people party in it.

If you own a Camaro, you can get a free large one topping pizza if you drive it to Papa John’s tomorrow, Wednesday, August 26. No kidding. Details here.  Free pizza?  Wonder if the Nuh-Uh Girl will e-mail everyone in her address book and ask if anyone has a Camaro she can borrow.

And in case you missed it… King Willie has decided not to run in the special election to replace himself as mayor. At least that’s what he decided as of yesterday. He’ll probably change his mind Thursday-Friday or so when he realizes he hasn’t been on the front page of the newspaper in a few days and starts to miss the attention.

You know, I remember reading that when Napoleon was exiled to the island of St. Helena, as a joke his captors declared him the “emperor” of the island and even set him up with his own court. A year or two from now when King Willie is finally committed to a mental hospital, maybe the people who run the place can declare him the “mayor” of the facility and appoint a couple of the other crazies as his “aides.”

That’s all for now… I’m going to run down the street and do something different with the remainder of my lunch break – actually eat lunch.  There’s this new place called Pita Oven over on Brooks that seems to be really good.  I tried their chicken fajita wrap yesterday and really enjoyed it.  Today it’ll be either the gyro or the seafood wrap, will decide when I get there.  Info on some really cool after-work concerts coming soon.  I also have an idea to help promote several of my friends who are artists, more to come on that too.  Right now though, it’s time to eat.  Trivia tonight at 7 PM, hope Pete the Trivia Guy is feeling better…

A few pics from this weekend:

Yesterday afternoon we gathered at the Saucer for the unveiling of Bicycle Bobby’s 4th plate.  That means he’s been through the Ring of Honor 4 times, having drunk 800 beers.

Afterward, he poses for a pic with the Saucer girls.  I gotta hurry up and get my third plate done.  Yesterday, Otto, John D and I compared numbers and realized we’re all between 30 and 40 beers from our next plate.  Perhaps there is a massive multi-plate party in the near future.

Later in the afternoon I got a look at Shelton Clothiers’ new clothing line, featuring a trolley and a “38103” emblem.

Close-up of the 38103 emblem.  They ordered a limited number of these because they wanted to see whether they would sell well.  I have a feeling they’re going to be placing a second order for more shirts very soon.

Bardog has a new beer on tap called “Dog De-Light” which they’re selling for only $3.  I didn’t try it, since PBR is 50 cents cheaper, but I’m curious about the identity of this new beer.  The name suggests it may be a light beer, and that tap looks suspiciously like a Ghost River tap.

Elsewhere in the blogosphere: Air Traffic Mike is on the East Coast, vacationing and helping a friend clear some land.  He recently did a blog post about food, so of course he mentioned the Nuh-Uh Girl.

Time for another week at work, yay.

I just received word via Facebook that Republic Nightclub and Restaurant, the mega-club moving into the old EP Delta Kitchen space, will have its grand opening next Saturday night, August 29.  “Celebrities! Fashion shows! Performances! Paparazzi! Glamour! Fame! Every week,” reads the Facebook event listing.

A friend of mine who lives at 420 S. Front noticed that there is a sign in front of a building across the street, The Nettleton, saying that the building’s 30 condos will be auctioned off on September 12.  15 of them will have no reserve.  If you have dreams of condo ownership, this might be your chance to snag one on the cheap.

If you’re looking for something to do tonight, Aquanet, the awesome band that covers ’80s hair band tunes, will be at the Red Rooster.

11-game and 22-game Power Packs are now available for purchase for the Memphis Grizzlies 2009-10 season.  Purchase before September 15 and get a Circle K gift card good for up to $150.

I’d previously posted a link explaining how to get a $10 discount on a $50 Memphis Music & Heritage Festival FolkPass… however, last night I learned that you can get the pass for half off ($25) if you go to 98.1 The Max and click on their “Half Off” link.

South of Beale sent out an e-mail saying they have big plans in mind for next Friday’s Trolley Tour.  They’ll have a liquor promotion, as well as beer and complimentary hors d’oeuvres outside.  Free food?  Wonder if the Nuh-Uh Girl will show up.

There’s a new article on the Downtown Memphis Examiner.  Reporter Kaleigh Donnelly discusses how Uptown residents came together and worked with the police to dramatically reduce crime in their neighborhood.  Other areas of Downtown should take note.

It’s a beautiful day… 74 degrees in August, according to my WeatherBug application.  Time to go outside for a while.

A couple of quick Downtown-related links you might have missed in this morning’s CA:

Here’s an article about Metro67, the new luxury apartment building at Front and Madison.  It says 100 of the units will be ready for move-in by September 1.  This is an ideal location in the Downtown core… I know because I live less than a block from there myself.  You’ve got Walgreens just steps away, fine dining within a block or two (Felicia Suzanne’s, McEwen’s, Flight), less than a block from the trolley line, and well within walking distance of AutoZone Park, FedExForum, Beale, the Orpheum, and of course the new law school.  Oh and only a couple of blocks to Paula & Raiford’s Disco.  One block to a great neighborhood bar with really good food (Bardog).  If you want to be where the action is, the core is the best part of Downtown.

Here’s a Meet the Chef article about Sherman Smith, kitchen manager and chef at the Majestic Grille.  I’m sure I’ve eaten his food many times without realizing it.

That’s all for now… making my way through a pile of web updates at work.

Got a new site for Downtowners to bookmark… my friend Kaleigh Donnelly is now writing for the Downtown Memphis Examiner. I’ve linked to articles from Examiner.com in other cities many times, and am pleased to see the site active in Downtown Memphis. I’ve known Kaleigh for over 20 years, having attended Rhodes College with her. She and her husband and their two kids live in Uptown and are very active in the community. Definitely one to bookmark, or to subscribe to if RSS feeds are your thing.

Couple of things I noticed in this week’s Livin’ It Up Downtown e-mail newsletter sent out by the CCC… first of all, the apartments at 67 Madison, called Metro 67, are now being rented. These are luxury apartments at Front and Madison, across from the new law school. Designer cabinetry, bamboo floors, pendant lighting, modern kitchens, rooftop deck, fitness center, free Wi-Fi, and more. Here’s a link to their website.

If you use the coupon code “CCC,” you can order a FolkPass for the Center for Southern Folklore’s Memphis Music and Heritage Festival for only $40, $10 off regular price. That gets you free beer throughout the festival… I’m thinking, that alone makes it a profitable deal for someone like me who will be there all weekend long. It also gets you VIP seating, convenient restrooms, vouchers to future CSF events, meet and greets with musical acts throughout the year, and discounts on merchandise. Buy a FolkPass here and don’t forget that “CCC” coupon code.

That’s all for now.  Finally got up early enough to do a post.  Off to work.

“If the Tigers didn’t win any games in 2007-08, I guess that means we didn’t lose to UT either.” -Stephanie

Thanks to the people who sent compliments about my “Kim Jong-Wil” post this morning.  Funny, as I was in the process of typing it, I came across a Time Magazine article written by a journalist who had snuck into North Korea, the land of “Dear Leader” Kim Jong-il.

Part 1 of the article

Part 2 of the article

Photo gallery

There’s a part 3, but it hasn’t been published yet.  I’ll link to it when it appears.

The journalist’s experiences were pretty consistent with ones I had read of another American who visited North Korea.  I read Controversy Creates Cash, the biography of Eric Bischoff, the man who ran World Championship Wrestling, on my iPhone’s Kindle app recently.  In the spring of 1995, he got the chance to take his wrestlers to North Korea (not with the blessing of the US government, but that didn’t stop him).  They had to stop and place flowers at a statue of the late “Great Leader”/”Eternal President” Kim Il-sung, and their rooms were bugged, as one wrestler found out when he called home and complained about pretty much everything in North Korea.  The next day his room was torn apart.

They had an interpreter/guide who was assigned to stay with them at all times.  However, the guide didn’t know that Bischoff liked an early-morning run, and he snuck out of the hotel by himself at 6:30 AM.  All the North Koreans were headed to work in drab blue and gray suits, none of them over 5’5″, stunted by decades of famine.  Here was Bischoff, the only foreigner most of them probably ever saw, running through the streets in yellow and red sweatclothes at 5’11” and 200 pounds.  To most of the North Koreans it was like seeing Godzilla running through the streets.  When Bischoff got back to the hotel he was sternly warned to never, ever do that again.  He and the wrestlers then were taken on a tour of a war memorial, told it was to remember the 52,000 North Koreans who were slaughtered by savage Americans.  Their reactions were filmed to use in future propaganda.

Um yeah I don’t think I ever want to visit North Korea.

I have a meeting out east after work, so I won’t be able to defend my poker championship at Calhoun’s tonight.  I see that Snozberry is playing the Saucer tonight… should be back Downtown by the time they take the stage at 9:30, so I’ll probably turn up to catch their first set.

Former Mayor Herenton’s recent actions and public statements have led me to compare his mental state to that of another well-known leader.  Therefore, I’d like to offer these predictions if King Willie wins the special election and is re-elected mayor of Memphis:

January 2, 2010:  The Mayor’s office will issue a proclamation that Mayor Herenton is to be refered to as the “Dear Leader” of Memphis from this date forward.

January 13, 2010:  The Mayor’s office will report that Herenton has the supernatural ability to be in several places at one time.  Therefore, he will continue to run for Congress, claiming that he will be able to hold both offices simultaneously.  Furthermore, he will petition the school board to remove Dr. Kriner Cash as superintendent and reinstate him, so that he can hold three offices (and be paid three salaries) at the same time.

March 9, 2010:  Herenton will install undercover police officers at a variety of positions around the city to keep watch on bloggers who have spoken out against him.

March 15, 2010:  The news will report that Herenton routinely hits four holes-in-one in an 18-hole round of golf.  (The odds of hitting one hole-in-one in 18 holes are approximately 5,000 to 1.)

April 3, 2010:  Unknownst to me, one of the new bartenders at the Saucer is an undercover cop working under Herenton’s orders.  When I ask for an extra lime for my Dos Equis Special Lager, she will arrest me for panhandling.  I’ll be thrown in jail on $1,000,000 bond with an arraignment date of January 17, 2026.

August 9, 2010:  The start of a new school year.  Schoolchildren will be required to sing a new song, “No Memphis Without You,” a song specially composed for Mayor Herenton, at the start of every day.  Sample lyrics:

Our future and hope depend on you
People’s fate depends on you, Dear Mayor Willie Herenton!
We cannot live without you
Our city cannot exist without you!

September 2010:  Visitors to the Brooks Museum report that paintings on the walls are all themed around glorification of the mayor.  One typical painting, Roses for Herenton, shows a group of schoolchildren presenting a bouquet of roses to the mayor as they gaze at him in admiration.

May 2011:  Crime figures for 2010 show that Memphis now has the crime rate of Washington DC, New Orleans, and Miami combined.

July 20, 2011:  A storm with straight-line winds similar to “Hurricane Elvis” damages the city, downing trees, destroying homes and cars, and knocking out power.

July 21, 2011:  The Mayor’s office will issue a statement that Mayor Herenton is believed to be able to control the weather based on his mood.  Therefore, he must have been unhappy with Memphis the previous day.  In order to appease him, a $100-a-plate gala will be organized, and every citizen of Memphis required to attend.

August 13, 2011:  The gala will raise $66,965,100.  The $65 million that is left over after expenses will be presented as a gift to the mayor.

March 2012:  In celebration of Women’s History Month, Herenton’s baby mamas will be held up to the city as examples of all that is good and feminine.

October 2013:  The fountain will be removed from Court Square to make room for a 100-foot-tall statue of the mayor.  The Lincoln-American Tower and the Porter Building will be razed to give citizens a better view of the statue.  Statues of the mayor will also be erected in Overton Park, Audubon Park, and other locations around the city.

2016:  A popular news magazine will publish its rankings of “Safest Places to Live.”  Memphis will tie with Somalia for dead last.

November 23, 2022:  A week after Herenton passes away, the Mayor’s office will issue a proclamation that Herenton has been named “Eternal Mayor” of Memphis.  From that point on the position of deputy mayor will be the highest-ranking active executive position in the city.

I got an e-mail today from a fairly new group called “Friends of St. Jude.” They are a group of young professionals who believe in “networking for a cause,” the cause being St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. They hold monthly events for members, and for non-members who want to come check them out. This month’s happy hour is at South of Beale, this Thursday, August 20, from 6 to 8 PM. There’s a $5 cover, $10 for non-members. SOB will run specials for attendees: $3 drafts, $4 wells, and $4 house red and white wine. If interested in attending e-mail fosj.memphis@gmail.com or visit the Facebook group “Friends of St. Jude – Memphis.” More info about the group available on their website.

I also got an e-mail from Nat who is the new GM of Ground Zero. She says a lot of good things are in the works, and after I talk to her in person I’ll have details to come. However, one piece of good news I already know about, that I think Downtowners will like… PBR on tap $2 all the time, 7 days a week.

The Madison Hotel is starting a monthly cigar series. The next Smoking Up High: High Class, Low Key event will be Tuesday, September 8, from 5:30 to 7:30 PM, on the Madison rooftop. There will be selections from Havana Cigar Mix Emporium, a cash bar with sophisticated drinks, and a special menu with distinctive tapas and small place. Smokers can bring their own, or purchase from the selection on the rooftop. There is no cost to attend, but reservations are limited because of the rooftop’s small size. Call (901) 333-1224 to make reservations. The series will continue through November. Cigars? Wonder if Pete will be there.

Oh. Speaking of which… about 1 PM Sunday I showed up at the Saucer for Sunday Fun Day, and Pete was there with a big ol’ smile on his face, bragging that he had won three games of pool in a row. I dropped a set of quarters in the table, and about 10 minutes later he was saying

Later in the afternoon we had a rematch, and after I left him with 6 balls on the table, he was saying

Before I went to the Saucer on Sunday I had brunch at Bardog Tavern, and the lobster sandwich was every bit as good as I’d heard. The hash browns on the side were excellent too.

In other Bardog news… Aldo is already doing the $3 “ladies can drink what you want” happy hour from 5 to 7 weekdays, but he’s decided to give the guys a little something too… $3 Buffalo Trace during happy hour. Both sexes can get the Original Memphis Slider for $1.50 during those times.

Additional news on the September 20 Bardog anniversary party… seating for 64 outside in the alley, and the Underdog Room and the upstairs bar will be open too. The Jagermeister girls will be there from 2 to 4. There’s also something in their newsletter about lap dances from Demitrie and Jay, but I hope that’s a typo.

Congrats to South on Beale… just checked their Facebook page and saw that they scored 100 on their health inspection at the bar, and a 96 in the kitchen.  They’re celebrating with $3 Kirin and Sam Adams Summer until they run out.

Time to head to trivia… we should have a very good group there tonight, looking forward to it.