Michael Jackson once sang, "Feed the world...make it a better place...for you and for me, and the entire human race". Despite what you hear or read, don't let the media fool you into believing this year's "Taste of Chicago" was any better than the previious ones. In fact, it's a sign of the changing times which lie in the shadows of a poor economy. Wrap the whole foodfest up in a doggy bag and feed it to Rover... Better still, give the leftovers to the homeless. They're already in bad shape, so why punish them even more by refusing them food and making them fish your giant turkey leg bones out of the garbage can?! The "Taste" is in fact, a waste! Besides Chicago, where else can you go out in the hot sun and get lost inside a hurricane of drunks, obese peope, crying babies, and LOTS of body odor just to get a taste of a slice of pizza for $8.00 when for a few bucks more you can go to the same restaurant and get an entire pizza? Well, there are folks who call themselves "wordly" or, they expect you to believe that they keep a close eye on the calendar for the last week of June so they can get deep fried alligator sticks a hamburger made from an old racing horse, or goat's milk ice cream. Funny thing is, despite all the tom foolery, price gouging, and pick-pocketing, the "Taste" always finds a way to set some sort of record. Mayor Richard Daley has taken this festival to a whole new level of the stratosphere by allowing restauranteurs to charge an arm and a leg for a sample and then on the final evening, take whatever's left over and throw it away! Why isn't this stuff given to the people that really need it? Street people have their pride too! Don't make them dig through the garbage like a hungry racoon...give the last hour of "The Taste" to them. The "cost of living" for the average street person is hurting them as much as it is us. Cut the prices in half for goodness sake! ...And that's only for starters. Why must a person shell out an hours pay for a bottle of Aquafina? Last time I checked, there was no "Space Mountain" or Mickey Mouse in Grant Park so what's with the Disney prices? Trim the fat a little. You would think that with the recent increase in sales tax in Cook County that the average Joe would get a break on something else. Think about the dopes that camp out by the lake for a week to save a spot for the fireworks show which by the way, is free. Charge these dummies $10 a head or $150 to "sace your spot on the grass" a week in advance while lowering the price of food! Save all the gourmet crap for Gordon Ramsey! If you can only get the stuff once a year, chances are you don't need it. The homeless of Chicago only have "Streetwise" to sell us and I don't think there's any future Rupert Murdoch's sleeping in the alleys of Chicago. Next year, when your stomach can't take anymore greasy, fried, samples or finger food, don't toss what's left in the trash...think about what I said and leave it on the curb for someone else to enjoy. Most importantly, leave a can of Clorax Handi-Wipes on the curb too!
