For many years the US has been funding the Peace Corps. The object seems to be to improve the lives of poor people throughout the world, even countries not friendly towards us. We even have volunteers in China. How benevolent we are. Doesn't this make you feel good ?
A few days ago the Peace Corps announced that, for safety reasons, it was withdrawing its volunteers from Honduras. This is a tiny impoverished South American country with a population of scarcely 6,000,000 souls. They withdrew an astonishing 128 volunteers. There are a large number of poor countries in Africa, Asia and South America. We send an indeterminate number of volunteers to almost all of them.
Although it was not possible for me to determine the number of countries and the number of volunteers, I deduced that the numbers are certainly in the many thousands. From a statistic buried in an article on the inter net, I was able to make an educated guess that the program costs about $ 500,000,000. This is chump change by Washington standards. What a bargain, we are told.
Has this bought us much good will ? Much of the world hates us. This is a stupid, wasteful program. It seems like an excellent place to start cutting the federal deficit . Lets get rid of the Peace corps. That would make me feel good.
Friday, January 20, 2012
Wednesday, January 11, 2012
A SHORT HISTORY OF LEE
Born 1923
Lee lived in Mexico until 1966.He lived with our Mother until her death in 1966. He took his modest inheritance and went to Italy where he lived for 9 or ten years until he ran out of money.He returned to St.Louis ad lived there until about 1993, He then moved to Houston where he lived until his death in 2003,
For all his numerous faults and shortcomings, he was a charmer. He made friends easily but was fickle and discarded them quickly.. But he was charming. I enjoyed his company and find that I miss him.
Offsetting good qualities: he was funny, thoughtful and generous.Truly a strange and interesting person.
Lee lived in Mexico until 1966.He lived with our Mother until her death in 1966. He took his modest inheritance and went to Italy where he lived for 9 or ten years until he ran out of money.He returned to St.Louis ad lived there until about 1993, He then moved to Houston where he lived until his death in 2003,
For all his numerous faults and shortcomings, he was a charmer. He made friends easily but was fickle and discarded them quickly.. But he was charming. I enjoyed his company and find that I miss him.
Offsetting good qualities: he was funny, thoughtful and generous.Truly a strange and interesting person.
Saturday, January 7, 2012
LEE ME AND DAD
Yesterday I underwent for the fourth time what my urologist likes to call a procedure, his peculiar term for an operation. I hope that this will be the last one and I will finally be cured oF my long standing malady. Unfortunately, DR.Limm arrived for the procedure one hour late which left me in the tiny pre-op cubicle for several hours. With nothing to do, I allowed my mind to drift back in time and I recalled the following.
Dad was a tall dashing handsome man, a firm but just disciplinarian. Lee was a rebellious, indolent, disobedient liar. On several occasions he told me that he hated our father. I, on the other hand, was an excellent child, looking at all times for parental approval.
I recall the following as if it were yesterday. I was about 15 years old and Lee a year or two older. Lee to Dad : "Have you heard this joke about Confusious ? Confusious say, it unsanitary to cook carrot and pea in same pot". Our Dad, nor known as an uproarious laugher, laughed uproariously. Not to be outdone I said- "Dad, have your heaRD this Confusious joke? Confusious say, he who break wind in church must sit in own pew." Dad's brow contracted Ina frown.
". That's utterly disgusting" he shouted.
I have wondered if there was some lesson to be learned from this. If so, I have not been able to find it. What I do know is that my feelings were hurt. Even today, 70 years later, when I think of this I have a tinge of sorrow.
Dad was a tall dashing handsome man, a firm but just disciplinarian. Lee was a rebellious, indolent, disobedient liar. On several occasions he told me that he hated our father. I, on the other hand, was an excellent child, looking at all times for parental approval.
I recall the following as if it were yesterday. I was about 15 years old and Lee a year or two older. Lee to Dad : "Have you heard this joke about Confusious ? Confusious say, it unsanitary to cook carrot and pea in same pot". Our Dad, nor known as an uproarious laugher, laughed uproariously. Not to be outdone I said- "Dad, have your heaRD this Confusious joke? Confusious say, he who break wind in church must sit in own pew." Dad's brow contracted Ina frown.
". That's utterly disgusting" he shouted.
I have wondered if there was some lesson to be learned from this. If so, I have not been able to find it. What I do know is that my feelings were hurt. Even today, 70 years later, when I think of this I have a tinge of sorrow.
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