A blog entry at TF Stern's Rantings reminded me of a pancake house I used to frequent back in the early 1970's. Sambo's. I don't remember what their lunch and dinner menus were like, but I do recall that their breakfasts were very good and not terribly expensive.
Stern's rant comes as a result of a couple of incredibly stupid Dallas politicians (who are black, and apparently of the racist persuasion) who took offense at the fact that ".....someone said the county's collections office, Central Collections, has become a black hole." Better these thievin' bureaucrats should quit raping the productive residents of Dallas than make silly racial connections.
It brings to mind the true tale me of the equally moronic Washington bureaucrat who took offense at the use of the word "niggardly."
Stern wisely recalled the fact that the children's book Little Black Sambo has been pulled off the shelves of the libraries of most (if not all) government children's prisons because of the complaints of other stupid, overly sensitive black racists, in spite of the fact that the story is very complementary of the intelligence of the protagonist (who happens to be black).
Having read Stern's entry brought the late Sambo's to mind. Sambo's had about 1200 restaurants in 47 states by 1979. After the bad press caused by these bigoted individuals, and after various moves in the attempt to save the firm, Sambo's went bankrupt in 1981 and soon disappeared from the American landscape.
Well, I just learned the news: there is still one Sambo's left. It's the first and only remaining store, is located in Santa Barbara, and is owned by the grandson of one of the founders of the firm.
I guess I'll have to make it a deliberate place to visit every time I happen to be in Santa Barbara.
It takes better men to build than it does to destroy.
Warm regards,
Col. Hogan
Stalag California
12 comments:
Thanks for the link, and, you're correct, "It takes better men to build than it does to destroy."
I'm guessing you heard the reply to that race-baiter pol in Dallas? "Apologize? I'll never apologize for what I said. Anyone who is so hyper-sensitive to be ofended by the (black hole) remark needs serious psychiatric help." That was just too good
Now they'll probably drum him out of office, the white guy, I mean. Oops, I hope no Aglo-Americans were offended by me referring to "white guy"!!
The pancakes is why Sambo's was called Sambos.
Used to be one near where I lived. It eventually closed. However, as much as anything it was the poor service and lousy food. Never ate at any other Sambos, but that one wasn't good.
It's like IHOP I guess. The quality varies. The one in Corona is always crowded and always good to really good. The one in Riverside by the mall is awful. Yet people still eat there. Maybe the built in customer base generated by chicks who shop with little kids who love pancakes.
TF,
You're welcome. Thanks for writing a very appropriate "rant" that jogged my memory.
Steve,
I hadn't heard the guy's retort. I wonder if the bureaucrats, who happen to be black racists, realize yet how stupid they sounded.
TWC,
The Sambo's I frequented was in a strip mall on the corner of State College and La Palma, in Anaheim. They consistently served good breakfasts, and the only thing I recall that occasionally disturbed the experience was the noise of all the brats that seemed to infest the place.
In fairness, I occasionally brought one of them in myself. I'm sure he'll corroborate my recollection that he was one of the less noisy ones.
The fellow that called it a black hole was white, er... anglo, the one that was a patent idiot was a black a-hole. That's why he was offended.
Steve,
I finally saw the video of the guy. If he got through college, there was a payoff involved. Hell, if he graduated high school, he bribed someone.
"It takes better men to build than it does to destroy."
Indeed CH, unfortunately there are more than enough parasites around itching to destroy what others built.
MK,
Ah, but parasites have to have willing hosts....
"...less noisy brat" here. The Norm's we frequent on Beach Blvd. had a farmiliar interior decor, but it took a few months for me to recognize it as a former "Sambo's" minus the storyline murals that they used to have. Soon after that they completely renovated the interior. I'm trying to find a place that sells candy cigarettes and "chocolate babies" anyone?
Anon.
I know the Norm's you're talking about, but I've never been inside.
There used to be a candy store in South Coast Plaza that carried old-style candies, such as Tootsie Roll Pops the original size (so big you can't get the whole thing past your teeth), full size peppermint sticks, wax coke bottles, etc. I don't know if it's still there. Candy cigs and chocolate babies are probably off their list anyway.
In the Knott's ghost town there's a store that still sells some old-fashioned candy, but I think they're pretty PC, too.
Pity.
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