Indian Popup and Disastrous Astrology
Friday afternoon, we stopped at the Indian Popup Restaurant in town. The Renaissance Aruba Resort & Casino did it again. Chaska was delicious. Chef Bhumi Raj walked around the dining room soliciting comments and reaping compliments.
I started with the potato croquets, mint mayo dip and continued with the creamy lentils. I tried the chicken Tikka roll and ALL desserts. Don’t fret. We shared. It was all very enjoyable. I find Indian cuisine irresistible.
This weekend’s popup took place at Casa Matias, an art deco building at the head of the main street, just behind the Renaissance Marina Tower.
The two-story Casa Matias building with a large dining room floor and a wraparound terrace on the second was all dressed up in gaudy, gold embroidery and lame, with a special area reserved for an Indian Astrologer & Spiritual Healer.
Master Ram Das Shastry.
I went to see him for the sake of the experience, I paid $10.
The young man has been in Aruba for two months already, with his even younger bride, they got married on an opportune day, and he is on call as personal problem-solver for the next six months. He resolves money, children, health, partner, job and sexual problems; he fights evil spirits, voodoo, butu and witchcraft. He is available everyday from 8am to 8pm and guarantees 100% results.
I sat at the edge of the sofa across from him; he asked for my birth day and full name.
Very old, very old he said, when I responded. No filter whatsoever.
Then he asked for my right palm to be read.
Wow, no wonder the Indian community members are often fearful and depressed. This total stranger in fancy bright pink and yellow PJs, predicted disaster, unless I come to his office for an amulet designed to fend off all those envious, vicious spirits around me.
He went on to tell me that my once-strong health is deteriorating, that while I am a good person who helps others no one would help me in time of need, this he repeated twice, my love relationships were in the dumpster, but I will live forever. If I understood him right, ailing and alienated, not destitute, but otherwise quite miserable.
He clearly has no clue about our culture or psychology.
I reminded him I paid him $10, and he then freshly asked if I only wanted good news.
We concluded the exchange by another firm invitation to visit his office for an urgent amulet, or portion. Whatever.
The take-away: If you have a $10 disposable bill, don’t hand it over to Master Ram Das Shastry. But it you insist, you may call him at Tel.: 6308526
Stay Hungry Stay Foolish, mail from Paul Faas
Hi Darling,
I just posted officially on FB page that the Fools are sold.
But indeed…decision made after 6 1/2 years to call it quits. Great times…met great friends…but Bas is going back to Holland…
I did not wanna start again with a new chef.
Been very successful these years…worked hard to stay on top of that Trip Advisor Leaderboard.
Nr. #1 in the Caribbean…etc. etc… great reviews…
But……..
31 years in this HORECA/hospitality business….it has been enough.
The Paddock…The Plaza Cafe…Que Pasa…The Cellar….Tabasko…. Salt & Pepper….
I had quit the popular ones…but always had great times.
Looking at the Fools concept and formula…. great! It works.
But as I look around me I know…. more of the same coming up…
It’s becoming a bit of a jungle out there…and looking at Aruba…it’s getting too crowded.
More expensive….and for those who can survive? You need to work your ass off to survive, indeed.
Always did…with the greatest pleasure.
As I said…I worked with 2 great chefs. Fred and Bas. (Fred Wanders & Bas Kuurstra)
But my love for the water and my boat will become my future endeavor.
Starting in October…small private cruises to the south side of the island.
Sunset cruises…snorkel trips…. all possible.
3 times a week…. (well that is the plan….)
Website is coming up…flyers etc.…FB page.
Just look for it.
Pretty simple with that name don’t you think?
Anyway Darling……my story…its Official.
No more Fool on Land….
Just a Floating Fool…stay hungry…stay foolish…
“The Future of Work Conference & Expo 2018,” mark your calendar Sept 14th, 2018, by AHRA, The Aruba Human Resources Association.
AHRA, the Aruba Human Resources Association announced an upcoming event, “The Future of Work Conference & Expo 2018,” which will take place on September 14th, 2018, at the Hilton Aruba Caribbean Resort & Casino.
The FOW18 conference will discuss ways in which work is evolving and how local companies can adapt to an ever-changing business environment.
The goal of the POW18 conference, says AHRA President Tito de Cuba, is to help organizations big and small understand how work is moving ‘beyond the box,’ not just out of the box, and how we need to prepare for the future that is practically already here.
AHRA was established July 2nd, 1993. Its membership is made up of human resources managers, as well as professionals in other business areas.
De Cuba reports that the association believes that people fuel the growth of any business, and as such are the most important components of the organization. As people change and generations begin to think differently about work and life, organizations must evolve their thinking alongside them. Staying on top of trends helps organizations successfully align with, attract and retain, top talent.
De Cuba adds that we are currently facing significant new technology and cultural forces, from people-first to artificial intelligence, AI, workforce fluidity, the demand for flexible organizations, hyper-personalization, scarcity of leadership and inclusion which is an all-embracing societal ideology transcending race, gender, sexual orientation, religion, political and leaning.
We simply have to stay ahead of technology and trends, he concludes, because those will continue to have an impact on Human Resources, changing the rules regarding people, work, and communication, just to name a few.
FOW18 is not the first conference organized by AHRA. On October 23rd, 2015 the association held a sold-out seminar & expo, that presented excellent networking opportunities and active learning. The theme at the time was “Strategic Workforce Planning & Talent Management,” which was very helpful in 2015, but today, with the exponential rate of change, AHRA must ponder the future of work itself, and what it would be like to work in the next decade.
FOW18 will present an outstanding lineup of speakers with Angel Hoover, Head of Talent Management at Willis Towers Watson, Henrik Moller, Senior Relations Specialist, Dr. Shirley Davis, a highly trained HR professional and coach, and as a special feature, futurist Gerd Leonardo, at the conclusion of the conference.
Premium Sponsor AFAS Software and Willis Towers Watson, as well as Golden Sponsor, the Aruba Airport Authority, are confident that by listening in on the latest developments in Human Capital Management, AHRA members and guests will discover new ideas and recommendations for strategic plans, for their local HR department and organization. In addition, conference goers will surely benefit from the ample networking opportunities.
Google as the Morality Police
Over the fast ten days I have been dealing, or rather, trying to deal with Google. It is exasperating. And this is my story:
Google send me a communication that: Your app, BatiBleki, has been removed from Google Play because you have not made a child-directed declaration. Google Play developers are required to declare in the Play Console whether their app is primarily directed to children under the age of 13 as defined by the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act.
Then google got threatening:
This app won’t be available to users until you submit a compliant update. If approved, your app will again be available with all installs, ratings, and reviews intact.
Action required: Declare whether your app is primarily child-directed.
Sounded easy enough, god forbid a child would attempt to read my stuff, but I get it, kids should not be able to view everything on line.
My app developer who lives in India and requires constant PayPal cash injections, also lives in a different time zone as you know. It took a few days of back and forth but he certified by app off limit for kids.
But Google still wasn’t happy.
I see you have declared that your app is not primarily child directed, he/she wrote, however, your app still contains inappropriate image that is not suitable for general audience as mentioned in the previous email.
Apparently, my icon shows cleavage, tfu…tfu…tfu…and a phallic pen. And my breasts are not sufficiently covered, my shirt too tight. Yes we’re talking about the icon, the caricature.
Then Google went on: “Your app violates blabla policy. We don’t allow apps with misleading, irrelevant, excessive, or inappropriate blabla, which include the app’s description, title, icon, screenshots, and promotional images.
Bottomline: your app icon and feature graphic currently contains real-life subject portrayed with clothing that provides minimal coverage of breasts.
Please remove all the inappropriate images from your listing.
Google must be operating out of Saudi Arabia or Iran. But go talk to the wall. The computer just spits out one-response-fits-all communications and my icon gotta go!
I have a new one, no cleavage, no tight shirt, no machine-gun pen.
