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Havana, Cuba: A place you can't get there from here
By Robert M. Williams Jr.
Special to GwinnettForum.com

HAVANA, Cuba, June 8, 2007 -- The New York Times once called this locale "The Nicest Place You'll Never Go." Others dub it the "Island of Forbidden Fruit."

Havana is certainly nice -- if you are a tourist. Cubans mistakenly hail us on the street with shouts of "Viva Canada!" Americans are an oddity. After a week watching friends drink mojitos and smoke sultry Cohibas, it seems time has forgotten Cuba -- in both good and bad ways. Good for Yankee "touristas" in that the totalitarian rule of Fidel Castro has produced an economy where dollars can go farther. Bad in that Cuban men and women are forced into subservience to survive.

Bad, too, that American dollars can't legally be spent here. The American embargo against Cuba, in place since 1963, still makes it pretty much illegal to even be here, much less spend money. The Cuban Convertible Currency (CUCs) were introduced in 2004 to replace all tourist dollars, especially greenbacks. They will still exchange our dollars but 10 percent of every transaction goes straight into Fidel's treasury.

It's easy to suspect Havana may have been the world's most beautiful city -- 60 years ago. Neo-Classical, Baroque, Colonial, Art Deco and many more styles are represented but in a way that saddens. Much of Cuba is crumbling and decrepit.

There is an effort underway, however, to preserve parts of Old Havana. In a concession to reality, Castro approved a plan a few years ago to allow profits from restaurants, hotels, shops, apartments in the historic area of Old Havana---all owned by the government -- to be channeled back into restoration there. The result is encouraging but dismaying, too, because run-down buildings that once may have housed 40 Cuban families may now only house a handful of Canadian or European jet-setters.

Profits don't come swiftly in Cuba. We're reminded this is one of the world's few remaining bastions of communism when a glad-handing deputy foreign minister, who has spent a lot of time with us, lets slip that he understands we had good meetings the previous day, because "the reports" were on his desk earlier that morning. Maybe the beautiful young ladies at a desk on each floor of the Hotel Nacional de Cuba aren't just giving information, but taking it in as well.

The history of Cuba and America are so closely entwined, it's a shame our last half-century has taken such divergent turns. Apart from Fidel, the most famous resident Cuba has had was arguably an American, Ernest Hemingway. His name and image are still evoked in countless venues, including the small fishing village, Cojímar. Legend has it that, following his death, the fishing community wanted to erect a monument to his memory. They couldn't afford bronze, however, so hundreds contributed old boat propellers and oar locks to be melted down to form the bust now overlooking the sea only a block or so from the writer's beloved La Terraza eatery. A bowl of their seafood paella is worth the hour's drive from downtown Havana.

Life is no game for the average Cuban, however. Travel, speech and more are tightly controlled by the government. A security guard in the health department tells me he makes 15 pesos a month. His wife makes 10 as a primary school teacher. That's partly why he floated by raft and homemade boat to Florida three times in the past 15 years, only to be sent back each time, twice to a year in jail.

"The whole world wants to go to America," he tells me. "I will never stop trying."

The New York Times got it backward. We live in the land of Forbidden Fruit, the nicest place Cubans may never get to visit.

Our take on events of final episode of The Sopranos
By Elliott Brack
Editor and Publisher
GwinnettForum.com

JUNE 8, 2007 -- We've have enjoyed The Sopranos on HBO, for the sheer drama and continuing complicated story line. We'll also admit to being very much intrigued by the machinations of the Mafiosa and their, shall we say, "management style." Even the Mafia, the show seems to say, has some limits. Not only that, but their emphasis on family, though not as we think of the word "Family," has a certain quality about it.

Now this coming Sunday we face what the producers say will be the "last episode" of the hyper-dramatic New Jersey sit-com.

For years, we've seen two major crime families carve up a portion of the show's major vices, one group taking this side of town, the other group taking the other. While respecting boundaries of the other, both sides also covet the territory of the others, and only because of their great love and affection……and fear…. of the opposite group, do they keep hands off one another.

These Mafiosa are bad, we all know. Yet they keep up a certain regard for one another, so that on the higher scale, you would call that respect. While they may feel contempt, they know their geographic territory, and they stay pretty much out of each other's way.

While we are seeing that in these East Coast mobsters, some might also point out that that is pretty much the way the legal corporate world also works. While we have no respect for what they do in the Mafia world, we at least appreciate that they do so, as best they can, using very much the manners in which they were trained at home, as does corporate America.

In the next-to-last episode, two of the key figures in Tony Soprano's mob gets whacked. And Tony himself is on the run, along with Paulie Walnuts, one of his chief henchmen.

We have no idea, and only offer this possible ending. Remember the several times Tony Soprano has had conversations with the federal government undercover agents hanging around him?

We suspect the final show will also early on take out Paulie, leaving Tony and his family more scared of rival mobsters than ever before, since they will be virtually alone. So how does Tony get out of this mess?

We predict he'll ask his government contact for help, in effect, and disappear into the witness protection program. This will save his life, and let his entire personal family stay together. His other family -- his mobster friends -- have by now already been, as they say, "eliminated" one-by-one. Tony is the surviving loner for now, but for how long can he last against the other mob, and even against the feds, who could bring charges against him?

Think of the possibilities. Not only is Tony still alive, think of another series, the ramifications of Tony under witness protection! HBO might have another blockbuster series here!

What's your take on the Sunday night program? Write us an answer before Sunday 6 p.m., and we'll see who comes the closest to predicting what actually takes place Sunday at 9 p.m.

Don't know about you, but our subscription to HBO may get whacked itself after The Sopranos leave the screen. After all, HBO shows the same movies many times. Though The Sopranos was high quality programming, little else measures up. Paying extra for not much makes little sense.

The public spiritedness of our sponsors allows us to bring GwinnettForum.com to you at no cost to readers Today we welcome a new underwriting supporter, WIKA Instrument Corp. For over 60 years, WIKA has been advancing the world of pressure and temperature instrumentation. In 2007, WIKA Instrument Corporation celebrates 40 years of business in the United States. Regarded as the global leader, WIKA has pioneered many products for a broad range of diverse industries, end-users and OEM applications. Our success is reflected in our commitment to Lean methodology, product innovation and customer focus. By combining world-class LeanSigma® operations, state-of-the-art proprietary technology, agile manufacturing and resident engineering, WIKA delivers made-to-order products with minimal lead times and tremendous flexibility. Additionally, the WIKA Tronic Line® has a continuously expanding array of electronic pressure sensors to meet the emerging demands of integrated and automated systems. Talk to us to learn more about our Total Performance commitment for your pressure and temperature measurement requirements. To find your nearest authorized WIKA distributor, call toll-free 1-888-WIKA-USA or visit our website at www.wika.com.

While preparing for an upcoming move, I started cleaning out a closet in my basement. As I was packing, I encountered a few boxes -- shoved way in the back -- of old letters. I'm not a pack-rat on many things, but I save every letter, every card, everything that anyone's ever written to me.

There were the items you'd expect -- old love letters, birthday cards, letters of encouragement, and others that I didn't expect, like notes passed in high school between friends. I found letters written by my grandmother, by roommates and by friends made on various vacations.

I read a few, reconnecting with the person I was when I received them. Valentine's cards from my mother, who loved to send those drug-store mini-cards that you gave out in grade school when you were required to give a valentine to everyone in the class. There was a stack of letters from a friend I met at the beach when I was a teenager, and I wonder what happened to him.

But mostly, I wonder what happened to letter writing in general. No one really sends letters to friends any more. With phone calling plans so inexpensive, and the convenience of e-mail and text messaging, not to mention to continuing rise in prices for postage, has letter writing become obsolete? I worry about a whole generation, the kids who are in school now. Do they even pass notes any more, or do they just text each other?

Do they know what its like to get a letter from someone you met, or will be meeting soon, and that wonderful anticipation that is involved with the act of reading a letter? Will they remember how they felt at 5, at 15, at 25, by reading what others wrote to them, and by holding something that they penned.

Aurora Theatre continues our award-winning line-up in its final segment of the 2006-2007 Aurora Children's Playhouse. These performances will be held at the new Aurora Theatre in downtown Lawrenceville.

The next presentation is Saturday, June 9 at 10 a.m. "Shakespeare Funhouse" will be performed by Barry Stewart Mann.

Meet William Shakespeare and join him on his fun house ride through the Corridor of Comedy, the Tower of Tragedy, the Hall of History and the Gallery of Fantasy and Magic. Students will encounter characters such as Falstaff, Puck, Richard III, Romeo and Cleopatra making this a perfect introduction to The Bard by learning about the stock characters that appear in Shakespearean plays.

Tickets are priced at adults $5, and children $7.

Two Brown Bag Concerts set at historic Gwinnett Courthouse

Pack a picnic and bring your little ones out for an afternoon of fun and music as Gwinnett County Parks and Recreation holds its Brown Bag Concert Series on the lawn of the Gwinnett Historic Courthouse on June 8 and July 13 at 11 a.m. This family-friendly series of performances is free and open to all ages. Both concerts will feature the popular group The Bugaboos.

In addition to musical entertainment, the event will also feature children's activities including face painting and giveaways, and the Chick-Fil-A mascot will be on hand to spend some time with the kids. The June 8 concert will have a moonwalk.

The Gwinnett Historic Courthouse is located at 185 West Crogan Street in Lawrenceville. For more information call (770) 822-5450 or visit www.gwinnettparks.com.

Are you team enough? Join the Gwinnett Corporate Challenge! Early bird registration date is extended to June 30!

Join area businesses for two weeks of sports competition that promotes teamwork and community pride within your organization. It also helps to raise funds for youth and senior recreation scholarships.

The Lloyd-Bennett Gwinnett Corporate Challenge takes place September 9-21, 2007. It includes the following activities: golf, laser tag, kickball, 5K run, rock climbing, sand volleyball, tennis, bowling, picnic games, trivia game night, table tennis, and team building.

To reserve a spot for your company to participate, contact John Register at 770 822 5150 or send an email to: Tammy.Gibson@gwinnettcounty.com.

Leaders of the Gwinnett Place Community Improvement District (CID) will get a $35,000 grant from the Atlanta Regional Commission (ARC) to complete an Overlay District plan for Gwinnett Place. The ARC grant will join another $35,000 supplied by the CID.

The following overview summarizes the purpose of the Overlay District planning effort:

"The main goal of the Gwinnett Place Overlay District is to provide flexible development guidelines and incentives; improving transportation systems, including street, public transportation, pedestrian, and bike facilities; and maintaining the vision of the LCI by incorporating the 'look and feel' of the CID area."

Mark Williams, CID chairman, says: "We are glad to know that the Atlanta Regional Commission shares our vision for enhancing Greater Gwinnett Place. Creating an Overlay District is a key recommendation from our recently submitted Comprehensive Redevelopment Plan. We expect an Overlay District to guide our future streetscapes and provide an overall unified plan governing the visible side of our revitalization efforts."

The Ivy Creek Greenway Trail near the Mall of Georgia will be under construction soon. Gwinnett County commissioners awarded the $942,000 contract recently to Lewallen Construction Company.

The project includes an 81-foot prefabricated steel bridge with a wood deck to span Ivy Creek and connect to a previously constructed trail at the Mall of Georgia Nature Area. Most of the new trail will run parallel to the creek.

About 1,700 feet of 12-foot wide multipurpose trail will be constructed of pervious material that allows stormwater to soak into the ground. A 10-foot wide boardwalk 230 feet long will connect the bridge to previously-built multi-purpose trail in the Mall of Georgia Nature Area.

This phase of the SPLOST-funded project also includes signage, landscaping and an information kiosk. When completed, the greenway will connect the new Gwinnett Environmental and Heritage Center to the Mall of Georgia Nature Area.

Nine Gwinnett County High School students have been selected to receive the Beauty P. Baldwin Scholarship from the Upsilon Alpha Omega graduate chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Inc., the first African-American Greek letter sorority in Gwinnett County. The scholarships total $9,000.

The 2007 Beauty P. Baldwin Scholarship recipients are Kenneth Morgan, Jr., Hopewell Christian Academy; Kelundra Smith, Denise Adegoke, Stacey Agbonze and Adrianna Powell, South Gwinnett High; Tonya Mitchell and Jamila Taylor, Berkmar High; Ashley Robertson, Mill Creek High; and Jacinta Swift, North Gwinnett High.

The scholarship was established to honor the first African-American female superintendent in the state of Georgia, Beauty P. Baldwin of Buford City Schools, and now headmaster at Hopewell Christian Academy.

An education institution has opened its doors in the Gwinnett Place Community Improvement District (CID) with the addition of a new Saint Leo University campus.

Students attending Saint Leo classes will be making their way to the Clarkston Building at the Gwinnett Center, formerly the Koger Center, on Koger Boulevard off Pleasant Hill Road.

Saint Leo University has been in operation since 1889 and has its main campus in St. Leo, Florida. In addition to the Gwinnett location, the campuses are open in four other states. Saint Leo students are seeking degrees in one of 41 academic programs.

Maule Air, Incorporated, based in Moultrie, is a family-owned aircraft manufacturing company that produces single-engine, four-place STOL (Short Takeoff Or Landing) aircraft. Founded in 1941, Maule Air is the oldest of the few small aircraft manufacturers in Georgia. The STOL abilities of the Maule series have proven useful in terrain ranging from Canadian lakes to the Alaskan bush to the dense jungles of Brazil.

Founded by Belford David "B. D." Maule and his wife, June, the company was initially named the B. D. Maule Company. Today, Maule Air employs 80 people, including many of the Maules' children and grandchildren.

B.D. Maule discovered a talent for things mechanical early in his career. In 1929, at the age of 18, he joined the U.S. Army and was assigned to the 19th Airship Company at Langley Field, Virginia. When he wasn't working on dirigibles for the army, Maule found time to build his first airplane: a single-seat, midwing monoplane powered by a Henderson 27 HP motorcycle engine.

Throughout his life, Maule was a dedicated engineer and designer. Among his innovations were specialty television antennas, towers and rotator parts, and a nondestructive fabric tester approved and still utilized by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). During the latter part of the war years, Maule designed and experimented with a manpowered glider known as the "ornithopter," which featured flapping wings.

In 1968, due in large part to good flying weather and lower labor costs, Maule and his family moved the company from Jackson, Mich. to Spence Air Base, a former World War II training field in Moultrie. The M-4 had evolved from 145 horsepower with a fixed propeller to 220 horsepower with a constant speed propeller. By the time of the move, Maule had delivered approximately 250 aircraft.

As of 2006 the company had manufactured more than 2,300 airplanes. Maule Air produces 20 standard models of the STOL aircraft, 18 with piston engines and two with turbine engines. In 2003 Maule Air introduced the M-9-230 at the Experimental Aircraft Association Oshkosh AirVenture and became the first U.S. aircraft original equipment manufacturer to utilize the SMA SR305 Jet A powered diesel engine. The M-9-230 serves as either a five-seat passenger plane or a two-seat cargo hauler.

Because of their unique flight characteristics, Maule planes were chosen for use in three motion pictures: Cannonball Run (1981), Gone Fishin' (1997) , and Speed 2 (1997).

"The greatest scientists in history are great precisely because they broke with the consensus."

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