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Robert Oscar Peterson, the son of a milk and ice cream salesman, was born in San Diego, California in 1916 and graduated from Hoover High School in 1933.  He attended San Diego State College and graduated from UCLA with a degree in economics.  He was a lieutenant in naval intelligence during World War II.  Robert died on April 19, 1994 in Point Loma, California of leukemia at the age of 78 -- but not before making his mark in the world.

A plain-spoken, take-charge entrepreneur, Robert worked as a traveling salesman for a company that sold milkshake mixers before opening his first drive-in diner in 1941 called Topsy's, a classic drive-in where food was served by carhops to patrons in the parking lot. (After World War II, the restaurants were renamed Oscar's.) Over the next ten years, his company, the San Diego Commissary Company, operated several  Oscar's restaurants in San Diego.  In 1951,  Robert converted an Oscar's on the main thoroughfare leading into the city to the first Jack in the Box restaurant, replacing carhops with an intercom system and drive-thru window for speedier service. The tiny restaurant served up hamburgers to passing motorists for just 18 cents while a large, starry-eyed jack-in-the-box clown head kept watch from the roof. Since the concept was unfamiliar to most customers, the speaker (covered with the trademark plastic clown) had a sign that announced, "Pull forward, Jack will speak to you!"  Quick service made the new location very popular and soon all Oscar's locations were redesigned with intercoms and renamed Jack in the Box. By 1967, when he sold the chain to Ralston-Purina, there were 300 Jack in the Box restaurants, and by that time, the "drive-thru" concept had become an industry standard.

Robert spent the final 30 years of his life as a major benefactor for the arts, higher education and liberal political causes. In 1984, he was diagnosed with leukemia and battled the disease for the next ten years. A shrewd businessman and tough negotiator, he loved making deals, which is what probably kept him going when he got so sick. In a rare 1982 interview, Robert said, "I don't ever want to be bored and don't think I ever can be.  There's too much in this world and so little time to know it."  Said a longtime friend, "He did a lot of good in this world. When he had an idea, he didn't waste a lot of time discussing it.  He just went ahead and did it."  Another friend said, "If you made a suggestion that he didn't like, he'd say, "Heck, no! That's the wrong thing to do!"

Robert's fourth wife, former San Diego Mayor Maurene O'Connor, 30 years his junior whom he married in 1977, was at his bedside at their home when he died.  He had four children by his previous marriage to Lorraine Bhalla, none of whom went into the restaurant business.

Today, Jack in the Box employs over 29,300 persons in 2,223 locations in 19 states.  Annual sales are estimated at over $2.4 billion. Jack in the Box Foundation's primary charitable partner for over a decade is Big Brothers Big Sisters, the nation's oldest and largest youth mentoring organization.

About Jack Box: Jack Box (first and last name) was the original fictitous mascot for Jack in the Box who took customer orders from atop the company's drive-thru speaker box. Jack was literally blown up in a 1980 television commercial that marked the company's strategy to cater to adult tastes.  Fifteen years later, in 1995, Jack Box came back, not as the speaker box guardian, but to reclaim his rightful role as the (fictitious) founder, CEO and ad spokesman of Jack in the Box restaurants. According to Jack's California driver's license, he is 6'8" (without the hat) and weighs 195 pounds, and his birthday is May 16.  Only the males in Jack's family tree possess the gene that results in oversized, bald heads.  Jack is fluent in English and Spanish, and has starred in more than 2,200 TV and radio ads since 1995. Over the past 13 years, viewers have met Jack's wife (Cricket), his son (Jack Jr.) and his parents -- and those paying close attention know that Jack owns several classic cars, including a Dodge Viper.  A true man of the people, Jack ran for president in 1996 and beat out Bill Clinton, Bob Dole and Dogbert (a popular cartoon character) in a national independent Virtual Vote pole.  In 2008, Jack's fans waged an online campaign in support of another run for the White House.  Though often on the road, Jack has a reserved parking space in front of the company's headquarters in San Diego.  Fans can rub virtual shoulders with Jack by signing up through his Facebook and Twitter accounts.

Fun Facts:

• Long before he was an "Easy Rider" actor, Dennis Hopper worked at a Jack in the Box in La Meda, California.
• More than 28 million Jack in the Box antenna balls have been handed out since Jack introduced them as his Sourdough Jack sales force in 1995.
• Since Jack was reintroduced in 1995, 27 different toys and three different holiday-tree ornaments have been produced in his likeness, including several depicting Jack's zest for extreme-sport adventure.  More than 5 million of these toys and ornaments have been handed out to guests.

On March 20, 1770, in Boston, Massachusetts, Captain William Jones, USMC, advertised for "a few good men" to enlist in the Corps for naval duty.  The term seemed ideally suited for Marines, mainly because of the implication that "a few" good men would be enough.  This term has survived for over 200 years and has been synonymous with U.S. Marines ever since.

The Marine Corps adopted Semper Fidelis as its official motto in 1883 (Semper Fidelis is also the title of the official musical March of the Marine Corps).  Translated from Latin, Semper Fidelis means, "Always Faithful."  U.S. Marines used an abbreviated verbal version, "Semper Fi," to voice loyalty and commitment to their Marine comrades-in-arms.

"Once a Marine, Always a Marine."  This truism is now the official motto of the Marine Corps League.  The origin of the statement is credited to a gung-ho Marine Corps master sergeant, Paul Woyshner.  During a bar-room argument, he shouted, "Once a Marine, always a Marine!"  MSgt. Woyshner was right.  Once the title "U.S. Marine" has been earned, it is retained.  There are no ex-Marines or former-Marines.  There are (1) active duty Marines, (2) retired Marines, (3) reserve Marines, and (4) Marine veterans.  Nonetheless, once one has earned the title, he remains a Marine for life.

Factoring is selling the right to payment in receivables or invoices to a factor such as Mazon Associates, Inc. at a small discounted rate from face value so that you do not have to wait the normal 30-45 days for payment. Factoring is also referred to as receivables financing. Over a billion dollars are provided to businesses each year through factoring and is a financial service used by multi-million dollar corporations.
 

If you would like to find out more about our factoring services for your business and/or apply for an account with Mazon Associates, please phone us at 972-554-6967 (toll-free 800-442-2740) or visit our website www.mazon.com.

Once upon a time, an old man spread rumors that his neighbor was a thief.  As a result, the young man was arrested.  Days later he was proven innocent.  After being released, he sued the old man for wrongly accusing him.

In court, the old man told the judge, "They were just comments, I didn't harm anyone."  The judge, before passing sentence on the case, told the old man, "Write all the things you said about him on a piece of paper.  Cut them up and on the way home, throw the pieces of paper in the wind.  Tomorrow, come back to hear the sentence."

The next day the judge told the old man, "Before receiving the sentence, you will have to go out and gather all of the pieces of paper that you threw out yesterday."

The old man said, "I can't do that!  The wind spread them and I won't know where to find them!"

The judge then replied, "My point exactly.  Simple comments may destroy the honor of a man to such an extent that one is not able to fix it.  If you can't speak well of someone, don't say anything!  Let's all be masters of our mouths, so that we won't be slaves of our words."

The young man posted no demand in his suit, it seems.  The most the judge can sentence at this point is a piece of paper for the side of the suing party, stating: "The old man is in error for wrongly accusing the defendent, shake hands and write 100 times a letter of apology to the young man and one letter to the newspaper editor."  The gavel falls.

-- Contributed by Juanita Franco Rocha, Rocksprings, TX

Nov. 1: All Saints Day; Nov. 2: All Souls Day; Nov: 3: Sandwich Day; Nov. 6: Daylight Saving Time Ends; Nov. 10: Founding of U.S. Marine Corp; Nov. 11: Veterans Day; Nov. 13: Sadi Hawkins Day; Nov. 15: America Recycles Day; Nov. 18: Mickey Mouse's Birthday; Great American Smokeout Nov. 20: Children's Day; Nov. 22: John F. Kennedy's Assassination; National Stop the Violence Day; Nov. 24: Thanksgiving Day.  November is also American Diabetes Month and Lung Cancer Awareness Month.

Notice: Mazon offices will be closed on Friday, Nov. 11th in observance of Veterans Day and Thursday and Friday, Nov. 24th and 25th in observance of Thanksgiving Day. You may still submit invoices during our closed hours via fax, e-mail or drop-slot to be processed the next business day.

Mazon Associates joins our nation on Friday, November 11th in thanking and honoring all veterans who served honorably in all branches of the United States military in wartime and peacetime.  Thank you for your service!

The following article was posted on June 20, 2004 on the BBC's "WWII Peoples War" blog -- we thought it appropriate to share with our readers for Veteran's Day:

My father, Haynes Cecil Knox, of the 101st Airborne, 506 Regiment, 3rd Battalion, G-Company, 2nd Platoon, has often told me of spending time in an icy foxhole in the woods outside Bastogne during the Battle of the Bulge.  I grew up handling old German medals, trinkets from my father's uniform and, as I got older, a German luger -- all of which likely came from skirmishes with the enemy.

I have found over the years that my father was quick to tell funny stories, but rarely spoke of his experience in conflict. As he ages (he turned 83 in May of this year [2004]), he remembers less and less.  He can't recall, for instance, when he reported for service or when he was discharged.  Some of that might be due to his age, and time.  I think it may also be caused by his desire to forget what he saw while he was in Europe.

Haynes Cecil Knox, an Army veteran of World War II (March 8, 1944 to May 9, 1946), passed away on September 13, 2011 in Conroe, Texas at the age of 90.

A man does what he must -- in spite of personal consequences, in spite of obstacles and dangers and pressures -- and that is the basis of all human mortality.

--  Winston Churchill (1874-1965)

In today's business climate, rewards and recognition have become more important than ever. Managers have fewer ways to influence employees and shape their behavior; employees are increasingly asked to do more and do it more autonomously; demographics predict that fewer workers will be available in post-babyboom era and that those who do exist will likely have fewer skills than their predecessors and with different values.  1001 Ways to Reward Employees by Bob Nelson (originally published in 1956 and updated a few years ago) provides employers with more than valuable tips and insights.  Great customer service is the cornerstone of any business -- and starts with its employees being happy and satisifed in their work environment!  We highly recommend this book to our subscribers.  (ISBN-13: 978-0-7611-3681-1) 

Why did the turkey cross the road?

It was the chicken's day off.

If the Pilgrims were alive today, what would they be most famous for?

Their age.

What are the feathers on a turkey's wings called?

Turkey feathers.

Can a turkey jump higher than the Empire State Building?

Yes -- a building can't jump at all!

Why did they let the turkey join the band?

Because he had the drumsticks.

What did the turkey say before it was roasted?

Boy!  I'm stuffed!

Why can't you take a turkey to church?

Because they use such fowl language.

Which side of the turkey has the most feathers?

The outside.

Gobbler said, "Doctor, help me!  I can't stop acting like a turkey!"

"I see," said the doctor.  "How long have you had this problem?"

"Let me think a second.  Mom laid the egg in 1954 . . . ."

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