Overall, I found the article to be pretty reasonable, with some occasional good insight. I've been running an ongoing D&D-type game for 20+ years, primarily on my own Toril/Krynn/Oerth-like fantasy world, and have adjusted my DMing style over the years, to wit:
Most GMs don't act decisively or swiftly enough to excise a bad player from their campaign. A single malcontent can ruin the enjoyment of the game very quickly for everyone else... but, as regular, reliable players are generally difficult to find, most GMs will avoid confrontation with a bad player. Take my advice: scrape 'em off quickly - your other players will thank you for it, profusely.
As for extra XP for bringing snacks and such... I'm not a believer in such things. The PCs get XP for role-playing, being heroic, playing smart, killing monsters, avoiding traps and similar scenarios. I keep real-world influences out of the game as much as possible, as it makes things much more equitable and pleasant at the table. Handing out XP penalties and bonuses for real-world actions is a slippery slope.
I don't allow alcohol at the table. I usually run a fairly large group, and not everyone drinks - or at least they don't while playing. If you want to divide a gaming group really fast, have half of them be "under the influence" during a big boss fight while the other half are trying not to die. It makes for a very testy evening.
