Paul Ryburn's Journal

I’ve added a new page to the “Downtown Info” section of my blog – see the right sidebar – a list of resources to aid the homeless in Downtown Memphis.  People have been requesting that page for a while.  “You’ve emphasized that giving money to panhandlers does not help the homeless,” people have said, “so where do I go to offer time or money to help?”  I had forgotten I had a very similar page on the Handling-Panhandling forum already.  All I had to do was bring it over and revise it a little.  If you know of additional resources, or if any of the info on the page is out of date, please e-mail me (paul@paulryburn.com) and let me know.

In particular, the homeless help page contains a link where you can buy voucher books containing coupons for free admission to the Union Mission.  This allows you to hand out coupons rather than money when you get panhandled for money to get into the Mission.  If it’s a sincere request (which it’s usually not), the panhandler will be grateful.  If they really want money for alcohol and drugs (which is usually the case), they won’t be interested in the voucher.

You remember the folks from the Mid-South Peace and Justice Center who protested the hiring of security patrols Downtown to curb panhandling?  Well, they were back in the news this week.  They held a sit-in in Sen. Bob Corker’s Memphis office this week, demanding a town hall meeting to discuss what’s going on in Iraq.  When 5:00 came and it was time for the office to close, they refused to leave.  The police were called and seven of them were arrested.  Full details in this Memphis Flyer story.

Some time I ago I told you that I was going to have guest bloggers, named “Glo” and “Flo,” to add a female perspective to this blog.  Well, 3 weeks have gone by and Glo and Flo haven’t contributed a damn thing.  But, there may yet be a new female guest blogger:  My BFF.  Last night she commented to me, “Paul, you should let me write on your blog.”  You know what?  I would have no problem with that whatsoever.  Her posts would probably be highly entertaining.  Since I’m using WordPress, I could build her a separate account to post from that would still hit the same blog.  Seriously, I’m all for this idea.

BFF quote of the day:  “Paul, I’d rather kiss Brittney (another Saucer waitress) than kiss you.”  This is another thing I would have no problem with whatsoever.  Just give me 3 seconds advance notice so I can switch my digital camera to video mode.

While we’re on the subject of the Saucer, let’s go ahead and do the beer report.

Previous total:  $754.00

Beers 136, 137, and 138 by my count (Saucer count still being corrected):
Pilsner Urquell draft $4.50
Sierra Nevada Wheat bottle $4.25
Heineken Dark bottle $4.25
Tip:  $13.00 x ~30% = $4.00
Total:  $17.00

Grand total:  $771.00

A movie called Soul Men is being filmed in Downtown Memphis.  Blog reader Corey Griffin shot some photos of the movie shoot and sent me a link to this Flickr album.  Downtown Memphis being what it is, a bum came up and asked him for money while he was taking the pictures, and as a result there’s a photo of the bum in the album too.

Basketball update:

(1) Memphis beat (16) Texas-Arlington 87-63.  Memphis goes on to play (8) Mississippi State at 3:45 PM Sunday.  Go Tigers!

(9) Arkansas achieved a minor upset by taking down (8) Indiana 86-72.  The Razorbacks play (1) North Carolina Sunday at 4:20.  They are surely the underdog, but after seeing them eliminate Tennessee in the SEC tournament last Saturday, I have to believe that anything is possible with Arkansas.  Go Hogs!

(2) Tennessee played a lackluster game but nevertheless beat (15) American 72-57.  They will play (7) Butler in round two on Sunday at 1:30 PM.  Go Butler!

Plans for today:  It’s March Madness round two, so there will be a TV and beer involved.  Beyond that, TBD.  I still haven’t made it to Nate’s bar at E&H in several months… maybe tonight, after the last of the games end.

(This post has been edited, see below) 

Well-known Downtown panhandler Willie Norfleet in the back of a squad car!!!  Not sure what he did but it looks like he’s going to get a limo ride to 201 and a free place to stay for the Easter holiday.  Willie can usually be seen “working” Court Square and right outside Walgreens (which just happens to be across the street from CeCe’s Liquors).  I had him thrown in jail myself a few years ago after he made some extremely obscene comments to two female British tourists.  Will be nice to have a vacation from him.

Edit:  Just got back to work and told two of my co-workers – one who has been harassed by Norfleet and our VP of Marketing who hasn’t had the pleasure of his acquaintance – that I just saw Willie in the back of a squad car.  The marketing VP immediately exclaimed, “Are you serious?  He’s been indicted?”  Heh.  She thought I meant the OTHER bum named Willie who hangs around Downtown, or will until July 31 anyway.

A lot of people missed the holiday lights Downtown this year.  A meeting is being set up to plan holiday lighting Downtown for winter 2008, especially on the Main Street Mall and Court Square.  Creative ideas and energy are needed from Downtowners.  The meeting will be in the back room of Bluefin from 5-6 PM Tuesday, April 8.  Call 575-0546 or e-mail bennett@downtownmemphis.com to RSVP.

If Good Friday is such a GOOD Friday, why do I have to go to work today?  I mean, I like my job, but I like sleeping until 10:30 AM more. 

Yesterday afternoon Mike King and I trained the new Downtown security patrol personnel, and it went much better than expected.  The trainees were way into our presentation, and when they learned they had color photos of our top 10 bums, they couldn’t wait to see them.  Many of them recognized some of the bums on the list – Willie and Melvin in particular, for those of you who know who they are – and they even had additional information on some of them that we didn’t have.  I got the impression that they are ready to hit the streets and interrupt business as usual for Downtown’s career panhandlers.  I believe we’re finally at a turning point, and can’t wait to see what happens during the next three months.

BFF news:  My BFF got her nose piercing taken out and got a new piercing in the middle of the side of her face.  Not sure what to think of it… the nose piercing was hella sexy.  The side-of-her-face piercing is just kinda there, like a small town in the middle of the Arizona desert.  I’m sure that her mini-me Lara probably has an appointment with the piercing parlor to get a piercing in the side of her face as well.

Beer report:

Previous total:  $737.50

Beers 133, 134, and 135 by my count (and Saucer’s count hopefully to be adjusted still):
Kronenbourg 1664 draft $4.50
Hornsby’s Draft Cider bottle $4.00
Pete’s Wicked Ale $4.00
Tip:  $12.50 x ~30% = $4.00
Total:  $16.50

Grand total:  $754.00

I have it on very good authority that the Corkscrew on S. Front (next to the new Blue Monkey) will re-open sometime between April 1 and April 10.

Hung out at the Saucer for several hours last night, then moved to the Red Rooster for “Rock Out With Your Cock Out” night.  I’m thinking about doing the same thing tonight as well… Saucer in the early evening to get my 3 plate beers done, then on to the Rooster in time to catch the 8:40 Arkansas game and the 8:55 Memphis game.  (plans subject to change)  Go Tigers!  Go Hogs!  Also, the Tennessee Vols play the American Eagles this morning at 11:15.  Go Eagles!

See this story on the CA’s website.

Mayor Herenton, who has been mayor for 17 years and whose accomplishments over the past three years include

, will step down in a little over three months.  Wonder if My Harrison’s investigations with the FBI finally turned up some dirt on Willie.  Why did he run for a fourth term if he only planned to serve 7 months of it?

The Southern Hot Wing Festival will take place in the South Main Arts District from 10:30 AM to 6:00 PM Saturday, April 26.  It will be on the block between G.E. Patterson and St. Paul, which is the block where the Arcade is.

Looking at their website, it looks like it’s not too late to enter if you’re a hot wing cooking expert.

Event will benefit the Ronald McDonald House.  Admission to the festival is $1, or free with donation of a canned food item for the House’s pantry.

EP Delta Kitchen is having their first Thursday night patio party of the year tonight.  There will be free beer on the patio until it runs out, and $5 Roaring Lion/vodkas all night.  Roaring Lion is imitation Red Bull, for those who have never heard of it.

This afternoon at 3:30, Mike King and I get to train the new Downtown security patrol personnel, who will be targeting panhandling, for an hour and a half.  We have color handouts for them, including a condensed version of my panhandling gimmicks page and a color map showing the locations that attract the most panhandlers.  We also have a handout for them called “Our Favorite Bums,” where we list our picks for the 10 biggest hustlers/scammers in the Downtown area, describing their modes of operation.  We have color photos of 8 of them.  Jumper Cable Guy, Sharp Dressed Bum, the parking lot scammers, the guy who stands outside Walgreens and makes lewd comments to women… we want to make sure the security patrol gets to know all these fine citizens of Downtown Memphis.

We’re also going to take a minute to describe one of the homeless guys who walks around down here but doesn’t bother anyone, and discuss how his mannerisms differ from those of the aggressive professional panhandlers.  We want the security patrol to be able to recognize the harmless homeless and leave them alone.

Beer report:  The Saucer managed to lose ALL THREE of my receipts for beers I consumed Tuesday night.  Great job, guys!  A couple of other UFO members told me their receipts hadn’t been scanned either, so I’m figuring maybe they’re a day behind on all of them.  I’ll give them a day to catch up.  But my patience with the Saucer is running REAL thin right now.  It’s a good thing my BFF works there or otherwise I might be tempted to take away the Saucer’s status as my #1 bar.

I did talk to the mini-me who waited on me Tuesday, and she remembered the $11 Holy Grail Ale that I drank and paid for.  She said she’d vouch for the purchase of those beers.  If they’re not caught up tonight I’m going to go to management and complain.  I had said I wasn’t going to do that, in order to get the true cost of a plate, but 1) this is ridiculous and 2) if too many beers get lost, it will endanger the date it looks like we’ve picked for my plate party and Rapscallion Party VII.

Previous total:  $723.00

Beers 130, 131, and 132 by my count (and who the hell knows what the Saucer’s count is anymore):
Coors Light draft YUKKKKKKK $3.25
Asahi (at least it was better than Coors Light) $4.25
Hornsby’s Hard Cider (not a bad value at 6% ABV) $4.00
Tip:  $11.50 x ~30% = $3.00
Total:  $14.50

Grand total:  $737.50

Back later today with info on a new festival coming to Downtown Memphis next month.

I’m starting off today’s post with a request for a little help from my readers. Please watch the YouTube movie below,

(Edit:  Crap, it’s not loading.  Go here to watch the video.)

then go to ArtsMemphis.com and vote for it.  My friend Harmony Stewart is a semifinalist in their film competition, and she needs your votes for her film “Blues” (which is the YouTube video shown here).

In other news… my friend AngieDawn sent out an e-mail that went something like “OMG OMG OMG Eddie Izzard is coming to Memphis.”  Eddie Izzard is a comedian.  I’ve never heard of him but according to Angie he’s awesome.  You can read more about him and why you should go see his show on Angie’s blog.

Now that I’ve recommended a comedian I’ve never heard of, let me follow it up by recommending a band I’ve never heard of.  My friend/trivia teammate Eric writes that a band called 500 Miles to Memphis will be playing at the Buccaneer this Sunday the 23rd.  Eric says they’re a punk/rockabilly band that he digs with 2.5 shovels.  You can read more about them on their website.  Hmmm.  The pic on the front page of their site shows the lead singer holding a tallboy can of PBR.  That’s a good sign.  Eric guesses they’re named 500 Miles to Memphis because that’s the approximate distance from their home town of Cincinnati.

Sunday the 23rd is also Easter Sunday, so I’m sure you know where I’ll be that morning… in a bar, drinking mimosas and bloody marys.  It will be week 2 of our brunch rotation at the Majestic.  However, this week plans are screwed up afterward, as the Saucer will not open until 5 that day.  Hell if I know why, from what I remember last year Easter was as busy as any other Sunday.  But, when they do open at 5, they’ll have an Easter egg hunt.  Find an egg, get a free beer.

Not sure what I’ll do between 1 and 5 that day.  Maybe go outside and sit on the blocks on Beale and drink a Call-a-Cab if the weather is nice.  But the current prediction is high 51, low 35 and rain, so that plan is not very likely.  March Madness will be on and the Tigers will likely be playing a second-round game on Sunday, so that will figure into things.  Hmmm.  Maybe McGuinness for a bonus Sunday with Amy… hmmm… Big Foot has $5 34 oz. Blue Moons, that’s an option as well… absolutely not walking farther south than Linden to watch the game when there are good places to watch it in the Downtown core.

Back to the Easter egg hunt… dammit, every year we say we’re going to do this and then forget!  There’s been a long-standing plan to buy a bunch of large-sized plastic eggs, hide those little 50 ml “airplane bottles” of cheap booze in them, and then hide the eggs in Court Square for the bums to find.  Hey, bums deserve to have a little Easter fun too.  Hmmm maybe Saturday.

In the CA this morning:  The Downtown branch of the public library, the Cossitt branch at Front and Monroe, will close July 1.  King Willie says the closing, along with four others around the city, is part of a move to “reposition assets.”

Random commercial jingle from the past before I head to work:

“The Defender sees lots of alien ships
The Defender sees lots of radar blips
Every blip is a ship
On a body-snatching trip

Now it’s up to Defender to save them
Defender, a great Atari game!”
– Atari commercial advertising Defender video game cartridge, June 1983