A Chatauqua Airlines flight from Asheville, NC, en route to LaGuardia, ran into a little predicament in Mid-November 2011 when the pilot leaves the cockpit to use the restroom & ends up getting stuck. A passenger who hears the pilot banging on the door attempts to help the pilot. The pilot gives the passenger the “password” for the First Officer to open the door (which he wisely refuses to do).
From what I can find fighter jets were alerted but did not take off to intercept the airplane. There was no sign of intervention by an Air Marshal either. Commercial airliners are not supposed to land the plane without at least two people in the cockpit but I’m sure if there was a fuel issue they would have declared an emergency and attempted to land the plane.
Like I tell my kids, you should have gone before we left!
Every once in a while a product exceeds my expectations so much I have to tell the world about it. This is the case with my latest Every Day Carry (EDC) item the “4Sevens Quark Mini 123” flashlight ($39 retail price).
Not only is this one of the smallest flashlights I have ever used it far surpasses my old standby the Surefire 6Z that I reviewed back in January 2009. I first learned about the Quark Mini 123 while looking around on the Every Day Carry site.
The EDC site is a place for people to submit photographs of the items they carry with them every day (tactical and otherwise). A common theme of these user submitted photos was the Quark Mini 123.
With my curiosity piqued I did some searching on the web and found several reviews on YouTube, all of which were very favorable regarding this flashlight. That was enough for me to order one to see for myself.
123 Size Lithium Battery
I’ve included the specifications of this flashlight at the end of this review but here’s one spec you need to know. This little light can produce 180 Lumens of light, and it only uses a single 123 sized lithium battery! The Surefire with LED head produces 80 Lumens (and uses two 123 batteries) and I thought that was bright enough!
How bright is 180 Lumens? Remember those AA MagLights we all had at one point or another (or still have)? That light produces 15.2 average Lumens and a run time of 5.5 hours on alkaline batteries. A three D cell MagLight model produces on average 76.8 Lumens with a run time of about 9 hours.
Something to note about the above comparison is that the MagLights are using incandescent light bulbs (filament inside of a vacuum). Most “modern” flashlights are now using LED bulbs that produce an incredible amount of light given their size and power input. I upgraded the Surefire to an LED head to get the 80 Lumens of output (it produced 65 with its incandescent bulb from the factory)
Size Comparison (AA & 123 batteries)
LED bulbs also generate a lot of heat to prolonged use can cause the light to get a little warm (hot in the case of the Surefire 6Z) LED bulbs are not easily replaceable in the field either. The good thing is they last a lot longer than incandescent bulbs.
To activate the Quark MiNi 123, tighten the bezel clockwise. The light will turn on when the bezel is fully tightened, and turn off when the bezel is loosened. Turning the light on/off quickly will activate the 3 output settings (Low/Med/High). Cycle through the output settings twice (within about 5 seconds) and you will activate the “special” settings (Strobe, SOS, High/Low Beacon).
I can’t say enough about this little light. It’s about the size of an average thumb and easily fits in any pocket. The included lanyard is a good way to keep track of the light because it’s easily misplaced.
I still keep my Surefire in my EDC bag but the Quark Mini 123 is my preferred light just about every time.
4Sevens Q Mini X 123 Specifications (from the 4Sevens.com site):
Thai Orchid, located at 86th St. and I-69, is just north of my office. For whatever reason, it took me a long time to try this place. I kept driving past and thinking “I should try that place sometime”. The day I finally took the plunge (about two years ago) I was not sure what I would be in for. I’ve been there countless times since and thought it was time for a review.
The restaurant is right next to the Phantom Fireworks mega-store and seats about 60. There’s a cash register/bar in the back and the overall decor is nice. Wait staff are always very attentive and always helpful with questions you might have about a dish.
I always assumed Thai food would be similar to Chinese food. I could not have been more wrong. Being a big fan of noodle dishes the Pad Thai was the only way to go for my first Thai dish.
Pad Thai
When my server asked “how hot?” (mild, medium, medium hot, hot, extra hot, and Thai hot) and not knowing the heat scale I decided to opt for “medium”. It turned out to be the right choice for a Thai novice. I’m now requesting medium-hot and will someday be adventurous and attempt the hot. I can’t ever see me requesting “Thai-hot”. That sounds like a death wish to me!
If you’ve never had Pad Thai here’s what you’re missing… Tender rice noodles and bean sprouts mixed with a somewhat sweet and spicy (you decide the heat level) sauce. Add your favorite protein (shrimp, chicken, pork, tofu) or vegetables then top with scallions, and crushed peanuts. I’m a big fan of the pork and chicken versions.
The flavors are unique and very addictive. I can’t think of another noodle dish that tastes anything like Pad Thai. Of course this just scratches the surface of the Thai menu. There are a lot of items to choose from including many curries and seafood dishes.
Golden Bags
The one appetizer always ordered by my family, without exception, is the Golden Bags. Golden Bags are stir-fried ground chicken, carrot, and corn wrapped in a wonton skin. It’s then tied with green onion and lightly deep-fried. They come 6 to an order and have a sweet dipping sauce on the side.
Thai Orchid has a great lunch combo too. You get a coconut based soup, salad, spring roll, wonton and your choice of main course (curry or noodle dish). All of this for $6.99! It’s a great value and a lot of people take advantage of it during the week.
Look who discovered Instagram!
Here’s where I think a lot of “ethnic” restaurants miss the mark. I have NO idea what any of the curries are going to taste like and I’m hesitant to shell out the money to end up getting something I don’t like. I would LOVE to see a sampler/combination option that allows you to taste the various dishes (or sauces) without having to order one at a time. A lot of Greek places do this and I’ve found things I like and dislike (and I was able to expand my knowledge of Greek cuisine). This may not be possible (or practical) with the cook to order format of a lot of Asian dishes. That’s a lot of pans for a lot of little portions.
After dining at other Thai places on Indy’s north side my family and I have decided Thai Orchid is our favorite. I wouldn’t hesitate recommend it to anyone. If you’ve stayed away from Thai food because you weren’t sure what it was all about (like I did) I think you’ll be in for a nice surprise (like I was). Give it a try and let me know what you think!
When I think about comfort food Chinese take-out is on the short list. Although I consider myself a decent cook this is one cuisine I just can’t seem to do very well.
There are a limited number of options in the immediate area of my office and the other day I suddenly got the craving for Pork Fried Rice. Having passed the Happy Dragon on E 71st street several times I decided to give it a shot (and write a brief review in the process).
Happy Dragon is located in the standard strip mall setting, has the usual walk up counter, and seating for about 20 people. Per the norm for any place like this the counter is complete with a 4-inch high stack of 11×17 menus and take-away boxes stapled to the wall indicating the size options. Nothing unusual here.
Already knowing what I wanted I just glanced at the menu. Thinking back on it I’m not sure what I was looking for because I think these menus are the same in every Chinese take-out establishment.
I had come in for Pork Fried Rice and that’s what I was going to leave with (I’m stubborn that way). After placing my order, around $4.75 for a small container, I took a seat. Like clockwork my order was ready in about 4 minutes with its cardboard cube packed so tightly that it weighed much more than you would expect given it’s size.
I grabbed a few packets of assorted sauces and went on my way. I forgot how truly awful packaged soy-sauce is. It has no flavor and if you’re not careful you’ll end up wearing some of it when the stubborn packet decides to pop open in the midst of your 3rd attempt at opening it. What I failed to do is take advantage of the bottle of Kikkoman soy that was sitting on a side table. It’s not my favorite soy (that honor goes to San-J) but it’s guaranteed to have some flavor to it.
Back at the office I was ready to dive in after smelling the fried rice in the car for the last 5-minutes. Per the norm, the box was packed tightly and little pieces of rice fell all over my desk as I carefully opened the top. I had to dig around a little with a fork to loosen things up. I was pleased with the amount of pork in the dish as well as the overall preparation, nicely cooked rice and just a bit of that char that’s all but impossible to replicate in the home kitchen. This dish was exactly what I wanted and had craved just a short time before.
I’m glad I ordered the small size because I almost couldn’t finish the order. I tried a few packets of soy (yuck) as well as duck sauce and spicy mustard. All of the other condiments tasted great. Happy Dragon also has hot sauce which was pretty good on the fried rice.
The Pork Fried Rice from Happy Dragon was a solid dish. Compared to other alternatives in the area it’s inexpensive, filling and quick to obtain. I’m going to have to add this place to my rotation of lunch spots in the area. I’m also going to take a closer look at the menu next time to see if there’s anything on there that lures me away from the ever favorite Fried Rice.
Happy New Month everyone! I know it’s technically a “new year” but 366 days is a lot to comprehend, especially when you think bout how this new year can be broken up into:
12 months
52 weeks
8784 hours
527,040 minutes
31,622,400 seconds
Although 31,622,400 seconds seems like a long time, you’ve probably already used up 10-15 seconds so far reading this blog post. That’s time you can’t get back (sorry). You can (hopefully) remember what you did during that time, and possibly regret what you did (I hope not!). What you can’t do is change it.
I mention this because we all, at one time or another, think about the past and how things would be different if certain times in our life was spent doing “something else”. It’s the Woulda, Coulda, Shoulda Syndrome and there’s nothing particularly wrong with looking back and reflecting on past success or failure. It’s actually a good way to help you move forward because it’s your “Life Experience” and as humans we learn how to use our past to impact our future.
When I look back at 2011 it’s been both good and bad. I’ve had my share of successes, personally and professionally. There has also been time that I wish I had done “something else” with it.
In 2012 I’m going to continue to use my life experiences to prepare for, and make the best use of, the time I spend with friends, family, co-workers, clients, and strangers. Right now I’m 11-hours into the new year. It’s time to make the other 8773 hours count.
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When I think about comfort food Chinese take-out is on the short list. Although I consider myself a decent cook this is one cuisine I just can’t seem to do very well.
I grabbed a few packets of assorted sauces and went on my way. I forgot how truly awful packaged soy-sauce is. It has no flavor and if you’re not careful you’ll end up wearing some of it when the stubborn packet decides to pop open in the midst of your 3rd attempt at opening it. What I failed to do is take advantage of the bottle of Kikkoman soy that was sitting on a side table. It’s not my favorite soy (that honor goes to 
Happy New Month everyone! I know it’s technically a “new year” but 366 days is a lot to comprehend, especially when you think bout how this new year can be broken up into: