They Call the Wind Maraya
Wow! What a place. Maraya Mediterranean Restaurant in Orlando (southside). Bad location. Bad accessibility off the road (intersection of Sand Lake and Orange Blossom Trail. Bad neighborhood.
So who cares? The food is beyond description. Last night I had the lamb with special pasta (made just for me), great Spanish wine, and baclava. Yolette (the chef and owner) spoils you from the moment you walk in (I call her “Mama”) and brings all kinds of things to taste. There is no such thing as enough. The lamb is the best I’ve ever had and I’m a lamb expert!
I love to find these locally owned, non-chain restaurants. When they are good I will tell you about them. When they are fantastic, then I say YOU MUST EAT THERE!
Have A Laugh on Me Today
Two Great Stories
STORY NUMBER ONE
Many years ago, Al Capone virtually owned Chicago .. Capone wasn’t famous for anything heroic. He was notorious for enmeshing the windy city in everything from bootlegged booze and prostitution to murder.
Capone had a lawyer nicknamed "Easy Eddie." He was Capone’s lawyer for a good reason. Eddie was very good! In fact, Eddie’s skill at legal maneuvering kept Big Al out of jail for a long time..
To show his appreciation, Capone paid him very well. Not only was the money big, but Eddie got special dividends, as well. For instance, he and his family occupied a fenced-in mansion with live-in help and all of the conveniences of the day. The estate was so large that it filled an entire Chicago City block.
Eddie lived the high life of the Chicago mob and gave little consideration to the atrocity that went on around him.
Eddie did have one soft spot, however. He had a son that he loved dearly. Eddie saw to it that his young son had clothes, cars, and a good education. Nothing was withheld. Price was no object.
And, despite his involvement with organized crime, Eddie even tried to teach him right from wrong. Eddie wanted his son to be a better man than he was.
Yet, with all his wealth and influence, there were two things he couldn’t give his son; he couldn’t pass on a good name or a good example.
One day, Easy Eddie reached a difficult decision. Easy Eddie wanted to rectify wrongs he had done.
He decided he would go to the authorities and tell the truth about Al "Scarface" Capone, clean up his tarnished name, and offer his son some semblance of integrity. To do this, he would have to testify against The Mob, and he knew that the cost would be great. So, he testified.
Within the year, Easy Eddie’s life ended in a blaze of gunfire on a lonely Chicago Street . But in his eyes, he had given his son the greatest gift he had to offer, at the greatest price he could ever pay. Police removed from his pockets a rosary, a crucifix, a religious medallion, and a poem clipped from a magazine.
The poem read:
"The clock of life is wound but once, and no man has the power to tell just when the hands will stop, at late or early hour. Now is the only time you own. Live, love, toil with a will.. Place no faith in time. For the clock may soon be still."
STORY NUMBER TWO
World War II produced many heroes. One such man was Lieutenant Commander Butch O’Hare.
He was a fighter pilot assigned to the aircraft carrier Lexington in the South Pacific.
One day his entire squadron was sent on a mission. After he was airborne, he looked at his fuel gauge and realized that someone had forgotten to top off his fuel tank.
He would not have enough fuel to complete his mission and get back to his ship.
His flight leader told him to return to the carrier. Reluctantly, he dropped out of formation and headed back to the fleet.
As he was returning to the mother ship, he saw something that turned his blood cold; a squadron of Japanese aircraft was speeding its way toward the American fleet.
The American fighters were gone on a sortie, and the fleet was all but defenseless. He couldn’t reach his squadron and bring them back in time to save the fleet. Nor could he warn the fleet of the approaching danger. There was only one thing to do. He must somehow divert them from the fleet..
Laying aside all thoughts of personal safety, he dove into the formation of Japanese planes. Wing-mounted 50 caliber’s blazed as he charged in, attacking one surprised enemy plane and then another. Butch wove in and out of the now broken formation and fired at as many planes as possible until all his ammunition was finally spent.
Undaunted, he continued the assault. He dove at the planes, trying to clip a wing or tail in hopes of damaging as many enemy planes as possible, rendering them unfit to fly.
Finally, the exasperated Japanese squadron took off in another direction.
Deeply relieved, Butch O’Hare and his tattered fighter limped back to the carrier.
Upon arrival, he reported in and related the event surrounding his return. The film from the gun-camera mounted on his plane told the tale. It showed the extent of Butch’s daring attempt to protect his fleet. He had, in fact, destroyed five enemy aircraft
This took place on February 20, 1942 , and for that action Butch became the Navy’s first Ace of W.W.II, and the first Naval Aviator to win the Medal of Honor.
A year later Butch was killed in aerial combat at the age of 29.. His home town would not allow the memory of this WW II hero to fade, and today, O’Hare Airport in Chicago is named in tribute to the courage of this great man.
So, the next time you find yourself at O’Hare International, give some thought to visiting Butch’s memorial displaying his statue and his Medal of Honor. It’s located between Terminals 1 and 2.
SO WHAT DO THESE TWO STORIES HAVE TO DO WITH EACH OTHER?
Butch O’Hare was "Easy Eddie’s" son.
Who Says Business Can’t Be Fun
Check this out…
Call the Nestle Hotline at 1-800-295-0051, When asked if you want to continue in English or Spanish, wait quietly for about 10 seconds and you will smile. Keep going and press 4. then press 7. If you comment on this to anyone, don’t give away the surprise…Keep trying if busy! You can’t make any noise into the phone, or this won’t work!!
If You Ever Think You’ve Gotten a Raw Deal
We all have bad days but if you ever think things are really bad and you’ve gotten the short end of the stick or if you’re ever discouraged by your human limitations, then watch this:
Simple Flight Security
While the federal government jumps to new security measures at the airport (to include frisking, virtual strip searches, restrictions on cabin movement, and other ridiculous and ineffective measures), I suggest two basic solutions and one underlying premise.
The underlying premise is that air travel is not a right. It is not guaranteed by the Constitution or the Declaration of Independence. It is not matter of human rights or self-esteem. It is a privilege that can be forfeited for any reason and a service provided by for-profit companies who can serve or not serve whomever they choose.
That said, here are two simple ways to increase security and reduce acts of terror.
First, aggressively engage in ethnic/national profiling. I’m truly sorry if it hurts your feelings that I won’t transport someone from a country, religion, or ethnic group that is identified with extremism and acts of murder. Take that complaint up with the perpetrators of terror not the victims of it.
Second, require a traveler’s license for anyone to fly within the US. It would br like a driver’s license except that instead of passing a “rules of the road” test (although not a bad idea) the licensee would undergo a thorough background search. No pass–no fly. It’s that simple.
Would this address all threats? No. But it would eliminate the degrading searches (technically unconstitutional) that await us in the near future.
It’s a New Year
I’ve heard many people say that they will be glad when this year is over; well, it pretty much is and, I agree, it’s been a tough one. But before we sigh in relief, let’s remember some of what we’ve learned in 2009:
- We learned that we are a lot tougher than we thought we were.
- We learned how to increase service and reduce cost at the same time.
- We learned that we need negotiations skills as well as sales skills.
- We learned that it’s too easy for our customers to forget us and what we did for them last.
- We learned that there are many “staffing solutions” that we bring to our customers beyond ramping up and projects.
- We learned the necessity of really knowing our customer’s business—not just their industry.
- We learned to make tough decisions and move on.
- We learned how to lead in battle and to execute on critical plans.
- We learned that we can trust each other to do what it takes.
- We learned to laugh in the midst of the storm.
So, now, let’s go into 2010 and use what we learned to clobber the competition!
The Wrong Ism
I hear and read many comments from the left that condemn capitalism; I hear equal commendations from the right. The energy in these debates is impressive but misplaced.
Let me suggest a different discussion. To do so, we need to clarify definitions.
“Capitalism” is the economic system bases on three abiding principles. First, the sanctity of private property. Second, the use money to create wealth (capital). Third, a free and unregulated market. Capitalism has created the highest standard of living historically wherever it has prevailed.
“Consumerism” is the economic system that transfers wealth through the exchange of money for things and experience; it defines success as acquisition.
Now compare the two. For all the inequities in the capitalist system it has provided an economy where even the poor are better off than their ancestors. On the other hand, consumerism has created cultures that value stuff more than people, buying more than giving, raping the environment instead of managing it, and a host of evils.
Those who speak out against capitalism are attacking the wrong castle. It is rank consumerism that has turned our hearts cold, our economy toxic, and our skies grey.
You’ll Like it When We’re Through
Ignoring the thoughts and opinions of the majority of the American people, the Democrat controlled Senate followed the destructive path of the left dominated House. Even Howard Dean called this bill a disaster and union officials are also calling for it to be stopped. That’s the left talking. Conservatives with respect for the US Constitution have been calling for it’s defeat from the beginning. Nevertheless, the majority, heady with power, have made a collection of sweetheart deals to buy votes (with our money).
What we are seeing in Washington is not so much socialism (although it will lead to socialized medicine in the long run) but an absolute disregard for law, the Constitution, bi-partisanship, and the true welfare of the population. This process has been corrupt and arrogant from the beginning and has only gotten more so over the course of debate. Republicans and Independents have had literally no voice in shaping the outcome; they have been entirely marginalized by the Democratic leadership (perhaps they should change their name to the Autocrat Party) and the main stream media. The President has repeatedly violated his promises to bring a new era of cooperation to Washington (remember, it was the President who warned hesitant Democrats “we are keeping score”). If anything, Washington is more divided and bitter than ever. No wonder the public is so disgusted.
In history, this move will go down as one of the slimiest legislative processes on record. I can only hope that voters will remember this long enough to vote the bums out in November.
Government Solutions?
I’ve been thinking about the hungry in our country. I think the government should take over distributing food instead of those profiteering grocery stores. I’ve been thinking about the price of gasoline for Americans; perhaps a federal gas station would help. My heart breaks for puppies without a home; maybe Pelosi can force petless people to take one. And a government church. A national education system. A federal TV network. Let’s get really crazy: how about government healthcare?
