Paul Ryburn's Journal

I’m on that “Words with Friends” app for the iPhone if anyone’s up for a game. My username is paulryburn.

The Saucer now has Ghost River Winter Warmer. Brionne just brought me a sample… mmm pretty tasty.

The Rapscallions took another first place in trivia tonight, bringing us to $350 total winnings. Brick wasn’t there, but we still got a quote of the night when our father figure/inspirational leader went up to one of the girls and said, “I was talking to some of the fellas, and we decided, we really love the way your legs make an ass of themselves.”

Starting next Monday, Local Gastropub (in the old Sauces location) will have trivia every Monday at 8 PM.  Your hosts will be Will and Peter, the same guys who host trivia at Celtic Crossing on Wednesdays.

Still not caught up on posts, but that’s all for now, because it’s time to head to my trivia night.  My team the Rapscallions has been on a roll and already has $300 in winnings for our next victory party.  Hopefully we’ll add $50 more tonight.

South Main has become a little bit less of an “arts district” in recent years, as galleries have been closed and have been replaced by retail shops.  However, a new neighbor with a big interest in the arts may be soon to arrive.

According to the Memphis Business Journal, Memphis College of Art will go before the Center City Development Corp. next month to request financial incentives toward the purchase of a $2.9 million building at 477 S. Main.  It will open a graduate school in that 5-story space, serving 100 students, with retail space on the first floor.  If the CCDC approves MCA’s proposal, construction could begin as early next month and finish by the fall.

In the words of retired pro wrestler Lance Storm, “… if I can be serious for a minute.”  No pics of the Nuh-Uh Girl eating or taking the Browns to the Super Bowl in this post.  Serious topic.

You may have read that Google and 20-30 other large corporations were targeted by very sophisticated hackers in China late last month-early this month.  It is unlikely that your personal computer was directly affected by that attack, but, it happened through a vulnerability whose code has since been exposed.  So, if your system remains unpatched, you could be at risk.  Here’s what you need to do:

1) Since Google was targeted and its data compromised, change your Gmail password.

2) Internet Explorer 6 has a vulnerability that was a major entry point for the hackers.  If you’re using IE6, upgrade immediately.  Better yet, get rid of IE altogether, and download and install Firefox, which is a better, more secure browser.

3) Download the latest update to your anti-virus software, and run a full scan on your home computer.

4) If you’re running Windows, make sure you’ve installed all the latest updates.

Sorry to scare anyone but this appears to be pretty serious.

I think we’re also getting our first look at how war is going to be waged in the 21st century.  After the alert was sent out here in the office, I did a little investigation.  The Chinese hackers that attacked U.S. businesses may have ties to the Chinese government.  (This is why Google is considering pulling out of China.)  Chinese hackers then attacked Iranian sites, supposedly in retaliation from an earlier Iranian hack attack on Chinese sites.  Now it’s being reported that sites in India have been attacked by Chinese hackers.  Keep your eye on the news.  Looks like 2010 may be the year of the hacker on a scale never seen before.

I still have more posts to do and a little time left in my lunch break… but, I want this post to stay up top for a while.  Remaining posts will go up tonight or tomorrow.

Every Tuesday night, you can go to one of the best restaurants Downtown (Kooky Canuck), and get probably the best drink deal Downtown, poured by one of the best bartenders Downtown (Terry).  Their 34 oz. mixed drinks, already a good value at $10 regular price, are only $5 on Super Tuesday.

I can’t remember the entire menu off the top of my head, but I think there’s a Bloody Mary and a margarita on the menu.  If you’re a fan of pineapple, go for the Goombay Smash.  My favorite is the Flying Moose, which kind of tastes like Mountain Dew, except with alcohol instead of carbonated water.  Drink one of those and you’ll feel at one with the moose whose head is mounted on the wall at Kooky.  Or something like that.

John Bragg is getting ready to roll out a new menu at his restaurant Circa, and this week you can try some of his new menu items at a special price. Three course dinner from the choices below. Tax and gratuity not included in the price, and discounts including holiday gift certificates cannot be used for this special.

“Egg” Salad – mesclun with poached farm egg, polenta, Benton’s bacon and tarragon vinaigrette

Grilled Oysters with Herb Butter and Parmigiano

Tomato and Squash Soup served “yin-yang” with basil oil

Entree Choices

Roast Elk Tenderloin with celery root mashed potatoes and chanterelle cream

Salmon Koulibiac: spinach and wild rice in puff pastry with lemon-dill beurre blanc

“Porko-Bucco” cherry-balamic braised pork shank with hand-cut tagliatelle and cippolini

Dessert Choices

Passionfruit Baked Alaska with chocolate ladyfingers and sorbet

Chocolate Tart with Mocha Anglaise

I’ve got several more posts to get up today… so many that I’ll probably run out of time in my lunch break and have to continue when I get home from work.  Check back.

If you love the Grizzlies, you might want to keep an eye on this page, particularly where it lists the Western Conference standings at the lower right.  16 teams in the conference, top 8 go to the playoffs.  The Grizzlies, who improved to 22-18 yesterday afternoon with a victory over Phoenix, are #10 in the conference right now, but we’re only half a game out of 8th place.  The way we’ve been playing lately, I think it’s entirely possible we’ll move into a top-8 slot within a week or two.

The really cool thing is, we’re only 4.5 games behind division leader Dallas.  Who would have thought two months ago that the division leader would be within reach?

Too bad we’re not in the much-weaker Eastern Conference.  Chicago, the current #8 and therefore the team who would qualify for the last playoff slot if the season ended today, is only 18-21.  In fact, we have a record better than #5 in the East, Charlotte.

I had a reader question this week, via e-mail, about who I thought would win the Super Bowl and be proclaimed the NFL champions XLwhatever.

Let me make it clear.  I barely watch college football.  Much less pro.

But, fine.  If you want a prediction, I guess I’ll support my friends.  One day I was sitting at the bar with my friend Mikey.  And then Mikey paid his tab and said, “I have to go take the Browns to the Super Bowl.”  So apparently he’s got money on the game.  And I’ve got to support my friends.

Browns = Cleveland right?  I didn’t even know they made the playoffs.  I just hope Mikey wasn’t full of shit, because if he was, it could be a crappy game.  Nevertheless, I hope everything comes out all right.

Shelton Clothiers is seriously considering opening a new women’s store Downtown and wants your help. This Friday, January 22, is Christine Shelton’s birthday, and she wants the ladies of Downtown to help her celebrate it in the storefront at 121 S. Main. There will be images of women’s fashions on the wall, and you will be invited to mark the ones you like – it’s a “Mark it for Market” party. Your feedback will help determine which clothing lines Christine carries when the store opens.

Everyone who comes will receive a $25 gift card toward their first purchase, and they will become one of “Christine’s Preferred Customers.” You’ll also get to enter into a drawing for a $100 gift card to Circa.

Wine will be served at the party, and Circa will provide food. Free food? Wonder if the Nuh-Uh Girl will show up.

The Silly Goose celebrates its first birthday party this Wednesday night, January 20. There will be a DJ and drink specials to thank those who supported the Goose during their first year, so come on out. Lord… I have a feeling Thursday morning is going to hurt.

Brick got on my Facebook page and claimed that she didn’t say “It’s not seafood!” (regarding lobster), but rather “I love seafood!” I don’t know. Lots of people were sitting nearby, and as soon as she said it, other people commented to me, “well, there’s your next quote.” So it’s unclear whether I mis-heard, or whether she’s trying to cover her tracks. As for the server who said maybe Brick should try learning English before she learns French, Brick responded, “English was always my best subject so whoever said that can kissy juicy behind.”

Hmmm it’s 55 out… that means, for the first time in nearly a month, I’m going to wear my PBR hoodie, shorts and sandals to the Saucer for Pint Nite.  BEER!

There’s a site called Giveaway of the Day that gives away free, one-day-only downloads of licensed commercial software that normally sells for $25. $40, $50, sometimes even more.  The giveaways are not trial versions, but full, licensed, unlocked versions.  If you’re into games, there’s also a Game Giveaway of the Day.  If you have a list of sites that you check first thing every morning, this is a good one to add.