I will assume, without much confidence in the assumption, that many of those opposed to the health-care legislation are sincere folks, albeit the victims of cynical manipulation of GOP operatives, honestly are concerned about sky-rocketing deficits (more. . .)

It seems that people, unlike Gaul, are divided into two groups when it comes to the red sauce on pasta at local establishments. Our very close friends choose a sweeter version of the ubiquitous red sauce; Joan and I prefer one that is less sweet. The Tampa area has fine examples of both varieties and, in fact, the four of us visited a relatively new establishment near the intersection of Countryway and Race Track Road a while ago and I discovered a good neighborhood Italian (more. . .)

I have to confess that, to some members of my family, I am politically a disgrace, leaning so far to the Left as to have abandoned all rational thinking! I believe (or did before my new-found appreciation for the truths of the Right) in social programs to benefit the poor and – wonderful word – the disadvantaged. I was in favor of government programs run by government aimed at promoting the general welfare of the country that being (more. . .)

OK, you have been on Atkins or South Beach for a while and your carb hunger has taken over your life. I can think of no better way to make up for a carbohydrate deficiency than an order of fries at Five Guys Famous Burgers and Fries on Fletcher Avenue just east of North Dale Mabry Highway in Tampa. The fries are of the “boardwalk” variety, popular “up north”. They come in two sizes and on our first visit, we erred in choosing the larger. (more. . .)

A northern New York staple has come to Tampa, the “beef on weck” sandwich; the area is better with the sloppy, messy and oh so delicious treat. The new venue is Honey’s on North Dale Mabry Highway and it is very welcome.

I was born, raised and went to school in New England, mostly in north-eastern Massachusetts and the New York City area, before moving to the much warmer and snow-free Florida. During these years of living and traveling, I have come to recognize that some (more. . .)

A neighborhood success in North Tampa, Marchello’s is a treat

It is only fitting that Marchello’s Pizzeria and Restaurant, at the corner of North Dale Mabry and Van Dyke Road, is in the same strip center as the gym to which Joan and I had belonged and had visited nearly every day before I fell and fractured my kneecap.. Our first visit to this restaurant was just after they had opened; we were resigned to an establishment leaning its way and an inexperienced wait staff. What (more. . .)

The search for the best breakfast continues.

I think my favorite meal of the day, whenever I’m away from home or when I feel like treating myself to an inexpensive but luxurious meal is breakfast. There are in Tampa a number of places that serve elegant brunches; Oystercatchers springs to mind. But that is for, on my budget, a very special occasion.

I had been urged by my granddaughter, Jessica, to have breakfast at Mom’s Place on North Dale Mabry Highway, in Tampa, a bit north (more. . .)

Those familiar with my restaurant comments are aware of several basics. I truly love Italian food, am a sucker for a bowl of pasta and personally prefer a small independent “Mom and Pop” establishment over a chain, the latter often scaling down taste and variety in order to appeal to a larger number of patrons. Apparently, no one has bothered to tell that to the corporate owners of the Carrabba’s chain because its tastes are vibrant and exciting!

A couple of months ago, we, along with (more. . .)

has been a military prosecutor and has little sympathy for persons accused of a crime and, indeed, often considers accusation and conviction as a unit;

is a proponent of the death penalty and limits on appeals by convicted criminals;

has voted for and advocated wiretaps without prior judicial authorization and warrant;
is an advocate and supporter of prayer in schools;

opposes same sex marriage and supports (more. . .)

If I have, finally, learned anything by writing political blogs it is that it is impossible to engage in rational discussions with those on the rabid right fringe. Fortunately, all the evidence seems to point to the impotency of their rants. Glenn and Rush and the stalwarts at Fox News spew irrational and inconsistent garbage, but garner only a miniscule proportion of voters and have no real influence in elections.
David Brooks, in a brilliant essay in the New York Times, (more. . .)

Formaggio’s in Lithia, a disappointment

Very often, The Lovely Joan [TLJ] and I will pass a sign advising that a new restaurant will be arriving in the neighborhood or we hear of a restaurant that sounds like it might be interesting. On many occasions, we plan on trying the place out but, due to the high mortality rate among new businesses, especially restaurants, the establishment closes before we have a chance to visit. Readers of this space also know of our preference for individually owned restaurants (more. . .)

Tampa is the site of two large major universities, one public, the University of South Florida, the other private, the University of Tampa. The latter school prides itself for having undergraduate students from over 100 foreign countries; USF, one of the largest public universities in Florida, has well over 1600 students and research scholars from nearly 150 foreign countries. It is not surprising; therefore, that Tampa has a plethora of excellent ethnic restaurants beyond the usual Italian, Chinese, or Thai varieties. Nearby, a few miles (more. . .)

I have become reconciled that some on the far right fringe have lost all sense of reality. I realize that many are addicted to Fox News and its prime time assemblage of provocateurs. The addiction has cause otherwise (I assume) rational human beings to, as one contributor to Orble continues to do, refer to President Barack Obama as “B.O. (B.S.)” on the ground that the president was alleged to have attended a college and received a scholarship under the name of his adoptive father, Lolo (more. . .)

I grew up in north-east Massachusetts, in Haverhill, about 35 miles or so north of Boston. Nearby cities included Ipswich, a place identified with whole belly fried clams. Traditionally, they were served in paper cartons, or cozily ensconced in a hot dog roll. In that part of New England, as I have explained to doubting grandchildren, in “the olden days”, there were no Burger Kings or Mickey D’s; so when we needed a snack or on a date, we munched on clam rolls or lobster (more. . .)

A couple of months ago, I tripped over my own feet, fell and fractured my right kneecap. Following a period at University Community Hospital in north Tampa, and a brief residential rehabilitation sojourn, I returned home and began a series of out-patient rehab physical therapy sessions with a reasonably friendly and nice sadist named Joe Canarela. He is not really a sadist but if I treat him too well, I have no doubt that his job is in jeopardy.

The location of my therapy is in (more. . .)

The Tijuana Flats restaurants never disappoint.

Several times a week, The Lovely Joan [TLJ] and I consider where we could go and have an inexpensive meal, one with fresh ingredients and great taste, one where it is not necessary to wear more than shorts and a cotton shirts and where the ambiance is somewhat noisy but not oppressively so. More often than not, we end up at one of three Tijuana Flats restaurants in Tampa.

While each of the restaurants has much in common, the menus are (more. . .)

How dare they consider “most elementary notions of justice and morality?”

Steve Pearlstein, writing in the Washington Post, expressed the dismay over U.S. Distinct Judge Jed Rakoff’s cavalier approach to the law:

I don’t know about you, but I’ve had it up to here with activist judges who think they can overturn decades of legal precedent and ignore well-established norms of legal behavior in the pursuit of vague ideals like “justice” and “morality”.

Whom do they think they are?

Before discussing the ruling by Judge (more. . .)

Last November, the American people elected a new president who had run on a platform promising innovation, far-reaching health care reform and, above all, creative (more. . .)

Last Wednesday, President Obama, that well-known Socialist-Fascist-Kenyan-tool of Marxists everywhere, in between meeting with revolutionaries who are tasked with subjecting our kids’ tender ears with un-American thoughts of killing Granny, addressed a joint session of Congress to plead for an overhaul of our health care delivery system. The opposing GOP acknowledges that the system is flawed and needs reform but urges restraint and warns against rushing into things. Universal health care and reform have been discussed in (more. . .)