The tornadoes that hit Florida last week you'd think was like the end of the world by watching TV. Indeed, 19 deaths was bad, but relatively speaking it was a tiny hit.

Since much of my family now lives in The Villages, I was a little worried when I saw the damage on TV, especially one set of homes next to a golf course, which my mom showed me when I was there in December. She said that the damage was pretty limited to a couple of specific places, and given the cooperative nature of the people who live there, everyone was helping out.

I have to say that while the whole concept of The Villages struck me as a developer's ploy to exploit retirees and older people, it totally works. People hang out, the nightly entertainment is a big deal. No one goes there to die, they go there to live.