DINING FOR DOLLARS (1 STAY AWAY-10 EXCELLENT)

I LOVE GOOD FOOD. I REMEMBER OUR TRAVELS BY THE RESTAURANTS WE EAT AT. THAT, AND MY SON IS A CHEF, VAGUELY QUALIFYING ME AS A FOOD CRITIC. AT ANY RATE, WHERE IS A RECENT REPORT ON SOME OF OUR EATING ESTABLISHMENTS I HAVE RECENTLY DINED AT.

• THE DESOTO CLUB: A SUPERB ADDITION TO OUR CULINARY PURSUITS. THE MENU IS AS GOOD AS YOU CAN FIND IN THIS AREA, WITH SPECIALS ON THE WAY. THE DINING AREA IS A LITTLE TOO OPEN, BUT BY AND LARGE THEY DID A GOOD JOB REMODELING. SERVICE WAS GOOD, SURROUNDINGS PLEASANT. OUR WAITRESS WAS VERY GOOD. MY FOOD WAS EXCELLENT. NO PROBLEM GIVING THE DESOTO CLUB A 9.
•  ELAN'S AT THE GRANADA CLUBHOUSE: ELAN'S IS ALSO A NICE ADDITION. MENU IS GOOD, A FEW THINGS A LITTLE PRICEY. LOOKS LIKE THEY ARE GOING TO START SOME SPECIALS, WHICH WILL HELP. SERVICE HAS BEEN ON AND OFF, BUT IMPROVING. I WOULD GIVE THEM AN 8.
• TANNER'S IS A RECENT ADDITION OUTSIDE THE EAST GATE. (THEY WERE AT THE GRANADA CLUBHOUSE). THEIR FOOD IS STRAIGHT UP GOOD. VERY CONSISTENT. BEST FRIED CHICKEN AROUND. FISH FRY CAN'T BE BEAT. SPECIALS ARE ALWAYS WORTH THE MONEY. SERVICE IS EXCELLENT. IT SEEMS TO HAVE BEEN A GOOD MOVE FOR THEM. ONE OF THE BEST BAR AREA'S AROUND. THEY WILL ATTRACT A LOT OF GOLFERS. WITH THEIR LOYAL FOLLOWING, WHICH INCLUDES OUR GROUP, THEY WILL DO WELL. AN EASY 8.5.
•  EL JIMADOR AT THE WEST END IS RELIABLE, SERVICE IS GOOD, AND HAS AS GOOD OF MEXICAN FOOD AS YOU CAN FIND. I'M A SUCKER FOR THE STEAK. I IN PARTICULAR LIKE THE $1.99 MARGARITA'S. I HAVE THEM IN AT 7.5.
•  THE QUACHITA MOUNTAIN SMOKEHOUSE WAS A RECENT PLEASANT SURPRISE. LOCATED AT THE OLD DRIVING RANGE ON ROUTE 7, I HAD A PULLED PORK TO DIE FOR. BAKED BEANS WERE EXCELLENT. DESSERTS SOUNDED GOOD, BUT I DIDN'T HAVE ANY. MAINLY A CARRY-OUT PLACE, ALTHOUGH THEY DO HAVE IN-HOUSE DINING. I HAVE THEM AT A 7.5.

The Anthropocene Is Here: Humanity Has Pushed Earth Into a New Epoch

The Anthropocene Is Here: Humanity Has Pushed Earth Into a New Epoch

NEW GENERAL MANAGER

WELL, THE VILLAGE GOT A NEW GENERAL MANAGER. AND WE HAD ABSOLUTELY NO INPUT. FOR BETTER OR WORSE, THE SECRETS WILL KILL THE PLACE. WE CAN BLAME IT ON MILITARY LEADERSHIP.

Stiglitz Blasts 'Outrageous' TPP as Obama Campaigns for Corporate-Friendly Deal

Stiglitz Blasts 'Outrageous' TPP as Obama Campaigns for Corporate-Friendly Deal



MORE OBAMA FOOLISHNESS.

RECENT READING LIST

HERE IS WHAT I'VE BEEN READING, JUST TO LET YOU KNOW WHERE I GET ALL MY CRAZY IDEA'S. I WOULDN'T NECESSARILY RECOMMEND, UNLESS YOU HAVE LOST TOUCH WITH REALITY:

1.  "BARBARIAN DAYS-A SURFING LIFE," BY WILLIAM FINNEGAN. THIS BOOK WON THE PULITZER PRIZE FOR BIOGRAPHY. IT HAS BEEN SAID THAT THERE IS NOT A SENTENCE OUT OF PLACE. THAT'S SOME MIGHTY FINE PRAISE FROM CRITICS.
2. "SKIN TIGHT," BY CARL HIASSEN. THIS GUY IS GOOD. STORIES THAT GO OFF IN 4-5 DIFFERENT DIRECTIONS, WITH A PULLING TOGETHER ENDING. A COMMON STYLE USED BY MYSTERY WRITERS, BUT EFFECTIVE. SOMETIMES CONFUSES ME MORE THAN ENTERTAINS ME. 
3. "DAVE BARRY'S TRAVEL GUIDE," BY DAVE BARRY. I LIKE BARRY'S STYLE. COMPLETELY CRAZY. I UNDERSTAND EVERY WORD. MAINLY FOR ENTERTAINMENT. NOTHING TO BE TAKEN SERIOUS HERE.
4. "THE UNDERTAKING," BY THOMAS LYNCH. ONE OF THE BEST CREATIVE NONFICTION WRITERS. THIS IS WHAT I MAINLY ATTEMPT TO WRITE, ONLY 98 LEVELS BELOW LYNCH. HIS ESSAY, "THE UNDERTAKING," IS ONE OF THE BEST YOU WILL EVER READ.
5. I RE-READ "THE ART OF RACING IN THE RAIN," BY GARTH STEIN. THIS IS ON OF THE BEST BOOKS YOU WILL EVER PICK UP. I THOUGHT OF THAT VERY STORY. IF ONLY I HAD WRITTEN IT DOWN.
6. "THE CELLIST OF SARAJEVO," BY STEVEN GALLOWAY. THE PORTRAYAL OF LIFE IN A WAR STRICKEN COUNTRY. IN THE MIDST OF HORROR, THE RISING UP OF GOODNESS AND HUMANITY.
7. "BRIEF ENCOUNTERS WITH CHE GUEVARA," BY BEN FOUNTAIN. I'M A REVOLUTIONARY AT HEART. HERE IS A REAL LIFE EXAMPLE. NO PRETEND STUFF.
8. TAKE A LOOK AT BRIAN DOYLE'S "LEAP." THERE IS NO BETTER EXAMPLE OF CREATIVE NONFICTION. HE GENERALLY WORDS IN FEWER THAN 750 WORDS. THESE ARE PUT TOGETHER IN A FASHION THAT YOU WILL SELDOM SEE. (I POSTED A READING OF THE ESSAY. AN ACCOUNT OF 9/11).

SEVEN DAYS TO A BRIGHTER FUTURE: DAY SEVEN

DAY SEVEN IS A DAY OF REST. A TIME TO BE SPENT GETTING OVER YOURSELF. DON'T BELIEVE EVERYTHING YOU THINK. THE HOUSE DOESN'T HAVE TO BE SPOTLESS. YOU DON'T NEED TO PUT OTHERS DOWN FOR YOU TO FEEL UP. GIVE PEOPLE A BREAK. IT DOESN'T HURT TO SPEND SOME OF YOUR TAX DOLLARS TO HELP THOSE LESS FORTUNATE. IF YOU THINK THE POOR ARE GETTING SO MUCH, I'M SURE I CAN ARRANGE FOR A POOR FAMILY TO SWITCH PLACES WITH YOU. OH, THEY WILL PROBABLY BE RELUCTANT, CAUSE I DOUBT THEY WANT ANYTHING TO DO WITH US, BUT I'LL EXPLAIN THEY WILL HAVE PLENTY OF FOOD, TWO CARS, MOSTLY FANCY ONE'S, A NICE HOME, AND PLENTY OF MONEY IN THE BANK. BUT YOU WILL HAVE TO SUFFER LIVING WITH RICH,WHITE, CHRISTIAN NEIGHBORS. THEN YOU WILL GET ALL THE BREAKS THAT ARE LAVISHED ON THEM.  A DAY OF REST. YOU'RE GOING TO NEED IT. DAY SEVEN WILL BE YOUR DAY OF LIBERATION. YOU WILL BE LIBERATED FROM ALL THE BURDENS OF HAVING TO WORRY ABOUT MONEY AND POSSESSIONS, AND SURVIVAL. WELL, SHORT OF ALL THOSE THINGS THE GOVERNMENT WILL BE WANTING TO GIVE YOU.

SEVEN DAYS TO A BRIGHTER FUTURE: DAY 6

GIVING UP WORLDLY THINGS IS VERY DIFFICULT. PAY LESS ATTENTION TO POLITICS AND MORE ATTENTION TO HOW YOU ARE LEADING YOUR LIFE. HAPPINESS DOES NOT COME OUT OF A BOTTLE OR IN THE FORM OF A PILL. CONTENTMENT DOES NOT COME FROM WHO WINS AN ELECTION, BUT IN HOW SATISFIED YOU ARE WITH OUR LIFE. A HERO IS NOT BORN OUT OF HEROIC DEEDS, BUT BY STAYING THE COURSE: DOING, REDOING. INCHING FORWARD TO GET IT RIGHT. THE BEST HUSBAND YOU CAN BE. THE BEST FATHER, SON, MOTHER, DAUGHTER, NEIGHBOR, CITIZEN. WHEN YOU CAN HOLD YOUR HEAD UP AND SAY, "I'VE DONE MY BEST," YOU ARE A HERO. IN THE END THEY CAN SAY, "THIS WAS A GOOD HUMAN BEING."

SEVEN DAYS TO A BRIGHTER FUTURE: DAY 5

IT IS IMPORTANT TO THINK ABOUT SOMETHING GREATER THAN YOURSELF. GREATER THAN HUMANS. IF THAT'S GOD, MAKE THAT GOD YOUR GOD, NOT SOMEONE ELSE'S. IT IS BETTER TO FIND GOD FROM THE INSIDE, RATHER THAN THE OUTSIDE. IF YOU PREFER TO USE NATURE AS YOUR GOD, DON'T BE ASHAMED OF THAT, OR LET ANYONE TELL YOU OTHERWISE. THEIR GUESS ABOUT GOD IS NO BETTER OR WORSE THAN YOURS. AS IN DAY 4, PAY ATTENTION TO WHAT NATURE IS TELLING YOU. USE THE SEASONS AS YOUR BAROMETER AND THE DIRECTIONS AS YOUR GUIDE. NO NEED FOR SPECIAL PRAYERS, MAKE YOUR LIFE YOUR PRAYER. LIVE IT, WRITE IT, SAY IT, ONE SENTENCE AT A TIME, ONE MOMENT AT A TIME. EMBRACE THE WONDER OF THE EARTH.