Fatigue makes us dangerous.

The other day I needed to get some blood works done.  I may have mentioned this lab before, like in the past, I always used the same neighborhood laboratory that was close by where I live.  Because of their friendly and professional services, I would have never thought of going elsewhere for tests that my doctor ordered.

On that dark and wet December morning around 8 AM, at the lab, I met a very haggard looking technician.  She in a cute smock appeared to be , if not more, as tired as a few of the patrons who were still in the sparse  waiting room.  To me, besides a good hair brush, she could also get a nap or two.  This tiresome young person could not even spare any energy to say a short hello.  I know how inept I was when I did not get a good night of sleep the night before.  And this tired person was going to draw the blood sample from me!

Although, I had never heard of someone got hurt when giving blood samples, I do have reservation on sharp syringe needles, blood, delicate vein and a sleepy lab technician.  Since there was only one other technician on duty, I was not able to find a way out to work with the other technician, I could only hope for the best, and let the matter run its own course.

After a few necessary words exchanged to confirm my identity, everything seemed to be going smoothly as it should be.  But before the routing procedure was about to end, in a few fleeting seconds, I could feel a painful jab before a small cotton ball was placed on the tiny hole in the fold of my right elbow.  And there was also some fidgeting going on when a disc-shape bandage was being placed to replaced the soiled cotton ball.  Because of the technician's unsteady fingers, the tiny round bandage was not rightly placed  either.

Now many days after my recent visit to the lab, luckily I have yet felt any harm that unexpected jab had done to me.  But this unusual and painful poking at my vein had convinced me that it is dangerous around tired and exhausted people.  -  Ayee

A Christmas Wish

Just spent another "60 Minutes" with my favorite news program.

Tonight, two of the three reports covered the grim subject of environment and cancer.

First, on the environment, the report showed ponds of  grayish  coal ashes on the river bank.  These soupy refuse was left behind by the energy generating plants that used coal to generate electricity.  The amount of the ash stockpiled by the pristine waterways is huge.  Now these unwanted  leftover may have leaked into the rivers in the beautiful North Carolina.

The second report was on the dreadful disease like cancer. I do not know if what the doctor from South Africa had  said  on chemotherapy was unusual.  But I did put on my listening ears, so I could  hear them. Dr. Patrick Soon-Shiong told the reporter that frequent low dosage chemotherapy treatment is more effective.  He said when higher dosages of chemo medicine are administered, the cancer cell run away from the cancer drugs.

Lastly, I am so gladly to see that tonight's edition of the news program  ended on a very soothing note. The crispy and blissful sound of a Stradivari violin put me in a mood to wish  all of us  a Christmas season that is as magic as the sound from these delicately handcrafted instruments.  Italian  are known for their artistic mastery.  That is why only Italian can produce a violins like the revered Stradivari. It looks like Italian are  also people with great and generous  hearts.    To return a favor to the forest that provides the fine woods for the violins,  they play music to the trees.  Good for them!

Of course,  a Merry Christmas and a Happy, Healthy and Peaceful New Year to all!

-  Ayee

A Cautionary Tale

Recently, by necessity, we bought a refrigerator. It is made by a well-known home appliance maker in the States. After it was delivered to us, we discovered the door to the freezer was at least 1/4 inch higher than the freezer. When we asked the seller to correct this misfitted door, we were told that now these days the fridges are made this way. Therefore, it cannot be repaired. The repairman did come around to see what he could do to correct the freezer door. He could not help us either. And he left us with the same comments that we heard before.

And the worst experience with our new appliance happened three months after we had it home. On that particular morning, when I opened the fridge for something, I noticed water puddles on the shelf as well as a big black gap that was at least a foot wide and maybe six inches high between the fridge door and the white soft plastic molding that is supposed to insulate and to configure the shelf space on the door. For unknown reason, this rubbery  seal or  "gasket" came off from the door.

To make a long story short, the manufacturer had since made good on its warranty and offered us a new fridge to replace the faulty one. The new one we got seems to be working so far except its freezer door again. I do not think I am a particularly fussy or a knit-picking person, . But when looking at our new fridge now, I cannot help but think of the problem this  particular manufacturer had with freezer doors. The freezer door of our new ice box is now about 1/8 inch higher than the fridge. I rest my case. - Ayee.

Amnesty for All!

Being a migrant to the New World myself, I have witnessed the unwarranted harm and uncertainty the US government's cumbersome immigration laws had done to many innocent new comers.  Therefore, it's encouraging to hear that the American government will wipe the slate clean for the millions of the "illegals."  So they can become residents of the country of their choice.  Personally. I think it is a misnomer to label the undocumented individuals "illegals."  Pursuit of happiness is not a crime. Whether it is a constitutional right or not, no individuals should be deprived  of the freedom to choose where he or she wishes to live.  At any rate, the current laws have failed to deport all the immigrants who enter the States illegally.

I thought the movement of globalization in commerce will gradually make all dated immigration laws obsolete.  Indeed, now it is the time that politicians of all stripes and colors would let the marketplace dictate the kind of work force the business needs and work with each others to ensure United States remains a chosen place for many to call home.  -  Ayee

Food for Thought - Curry Powder

Recently, we found the fresh chickens we bought from the markets did not taste as good as they were before.  Their texture was mushy and tasteless.  To make our chicken dish more palatable, we have tried different spices to spruce up our simple fares.  This is why lately we  often included the pungent curry powder in our cooking.

According to Microsoft Encarta Encyclopedia Standard 2004 edition, it takes 20 or more spices, herbs and seeds to make curry power.  And turmeric, considered a brain food*, is the main ingredient of this God sent concoction.  Maybe this is the reason why dishes seasoned with the yellowish powder made with the  substance from  the aromatic roots are very appetizing and tasty.  For someone from Southeast Asia, hearing the work "curry" can cause their mouth to watering!  For us, we always felt warmth and well-being after enjoying a bowl of steaming rice with some curry seasoned toppings.  -  Ayee

*See "Food for Thought: - Brain Foods," July 15, 2012

Please keep the wee-ones home.

The other day after my brief encounter with two Chinese students on the street, I could not help but ponder on why Asian parents are still sending their young impressionable kids to study abroad.

It happened that these two 17-year-old ones, not quite five feet tall, are studying at a nearby high school  under an International Student program.  They, new to this neighborhood, were asking passers-by on the street to help them find a place to rent.  Obviously, they were not happy with the family their school had arranged for them.  Like many others, I had nothing better to offer.  But I did think it is better for them to stay put at where they are at this time until they become more familiar with the neighborhood.  But definitely, I do not think their parents were giving them a head-start by sending them miles away from home to study English here.

I hate to think that like many other  professions, new computer APPs may some day make teacher a thing of the past too.  In these days we can learn many foreign languages including English, anywhere.  Today without pens, paper, and dictionaries, we can translate other languages in a split second.  We can even obtain advance degrees on line.  Besides, there are thousands of English teachers in China, Taiwan and Japan at our disposal,  the audio system in our personal computer can also help us  speak   English better.  This is why I do not understand why parents are still sending their precious young ones, the future of the wold, abroad to learn English.

Letting the youngsters study nearby hometowns has many benefits.  In addition to saving the hard-working parents a bundle in tuition fees paid to foreign schools, keeping the kids at home can also spare the concerned parents a bundle of worries when their wee-ones are studying miles away from home.  -  Ayee

Food for Thought with A Grain of Salt

We all know too much salt in our diet can cause our blood pressure to rise and this can lead many very serious health issues.  But interestingly to note that a mixture of this frown-upon condiment with water makes a good and cost-effective month wash.

According to a recent Internet posting, there was one individual who used a strong saline solution to keep him free from periodontal disease*(1). If this painful inflammatory gum disease is left untreated, it can cause heart and other serious diseases such as diabetes in us.  This is why in 2000, the country's top doctor*(2) based on his study on oral health  asked the public to gargle salt water for two to three minutes twice a day  to keep their gum in good health.

This was exactly the unnamed contributor did 12 years ago when his dentist was about to send him to see a gum specialist for some special dental treatments.  For three months, after he had brushed his teeth, he gargled a strong solution made of coarse sea salt and water for two minutes twice each day, and sometimes after meals.  And he adjusted the amount of the salt he added to the water in a 300-500 cc glass jar according to his taste bud's liking.  After all the gargling was done, he rinsed the month with plain water to get rid of salty taste.  -  Ayee

Notes:

1.  It was from a posting titled "Periodontal Disease Easy Way to Prevent (Effectively), circa and author unknown.

2.  Dr. David Satcher, the US Surgeon General

There is no free lunch in life (II)

Believe it or not! It is happening to us simple folks.

This morning when I phoned my bank, after the dial-tone instead of the normal greeting that I am used to, a woman’s voice on the line offered me a $100 gift card from various known retailers. To get this gift, I was asked to put through a $1.95 charge on my credit card. Normally we would hang up telemarketing calls right away, but this time I stayed on the line THINKING OF WHY MY BANK would engage in giving away gift cards. Since I did not want the gift card, I pushed the "#" key as instructed. Now I do not know if by doing so, I have compromised my telephone number and bank account.

However, I did report this creepy incident to both my bank and the telephone company.  Now we know there are some smart people out there who would piggy back their phone number on ours uninvited. - Ayee

"America's Got Talent,", NBC, September 10, 2014

I did not participate in the voting but I did watch the show's semifinal results last night.  I missed this entertaining show last year.  So I made effort to catch the show this season, and  did manage to view this popular talent show including the one that was aired last night.

I am sure many others would agree with me that the acts competing on the show are phenomenally professional.  It supposes to be a show of amateurs.  But what they had offered on the stage at the venerable Radio City in New York City were so entertaining and stunningly unique.  There were also many compelling stories like persistence and hard work behind their million-dollar acts.  I will definitely try to follow the show until it has chosen the winner of its million-dollar prize.  But maybe it was because of my preference in cello music, I found some thing missing in the judges' deliberation when it was their turn to choose the last act for the final competition.  -  Ayee

It's inflationary.

Recently when I renewed my prescription at our neighborhood supermarket, I got a big surprise.

The prescription I refilled a few weeks ago there cost 32% more than a similar one I filled last year.  Although, we and our neighbors were expecting some price increases at our neighborhood stores when we heard that there were some reorganization taking place at our local grocery markets,I certainly did not think the increase in some common medication can rise that much in nine months.

In the spring of this year, one of the two grocery stores in walking distance from our home was bought out by its arch-rival in the neighborhood.  Before the buyout, we had two well stocked and competitively priced markets to shop.  Because of their handy location, everyone in the neighborhood was pleased  for having two supermarkets nearby to help us prepare our meals.  Now after the buyout, we have only one market in the neighborhood.  As expected, it did not take us long to notice that prices on our groceries are creeping up here and there under the new ownership.

We all know that buying a business is a very expensive proposition.  So it is save to say that the high prices at  our neighborhood store are here to stay.   The recent change in our local supermarket  also told me that the drug companies are making too much money on the drugs they made and sold. -  Ayee  

Food for Thought - A Chinese Brew

An Internet article in Chinese* includes a recipe for a homemade tea.  It said that the concoction of some common ingredients in Chinese cooking can help severe cases of diabetes in one or two preparations.  The recipe, translated from the article, is for one preparation.

Ingredients:

One ounce each of lotus seeds, fox nuts (aka Euryale Ferox) and  pomegranate skin
Five large Chinese black dates
Two ounce of lean pork

Direction:

Add enough water to cover the dry ingredients in a clay pot
Simmer for one hour
Pour the liquid from the pot to another container
Add enough water to cover what is left in the pot
Simmer for another hour
Strain the liquid from the pot and mix it with the first batch

Dosage:

Drink half of the liquid, warmed, in the morning before breakfast
Drink the other half, warmed, before bed
The cooked dry ingredients are edible.  It can be eaten between meals at the users' pleasure. 
For mild cases, halve the dosage.

-  Ayee

*From an Internet article, Diabetes Cured in One Dosage! (Circa and author unknown)
According to the posted text, the original recipe/preparation is from an organization, "House of Purple       Bamboos," in Mai Chou City, Canton Province, China.

Please be aware that the above information is for references only.  For concern over any health related issue, do consult your health-care providers. 

There is no free lunch in life.

Don't let free gifts muddle up our good judgement.

It's wonderful that someone was care enough to send us gifts.  But some free gifts, like everything else in life, can become very expensive  later.  So we must be vigilent when accepting gifts from someone who delivered them to our door step, and be extra careful when this unknown gift bearer is "armed" with wireless payment devices.

Recently, there was a report on the Internet that over some free wines and flowers delivered to their door, an innocent couple lost $4,000 after they were asked to put a $3.50 charge on their bank card through a hand-held wireless payment device  the delivery man provided.  -   Ayee

Robin Williams,may you rest in peace!

I want to join the million others to mourn the untimely passing of one of the funniest persons in the world.  Personally, I do not know the late artist at all.  But I did watch and enjoy his television show, "Mork and Mindy." I had also seen a couple of Mr. Williams's movies that cover serious subjects.  After I saw "Patch Adam," in which the talent actor played the role of a medical student, I came up with an idea of volunteering at hospitals where doctors cure their patients with laughter.  So far such medical institutions have eluded me.

Sadly, the world has lost a good man too soon.  Others may think of the late actor like I do.   Mr. Williams was so good at making us laught our heads off.  He also left his hysterical fans with something serious to wonder about.

Thank you, Mr. Williams. And may your God bless you!

-  Ayee

It's more than I can see.

My recent dealing with our   Internet Services Provider (ISP) upset me.  It make us, long and loyal customers, felt being "bullied."  I do not know if others also had the same uncomfortable feeling toward to their ISP as I do.  But I do know someone who also dislikes his ISP.

Now these days, television commercials are crowded with many new viewing options.  One of them enabled the viewers to turn on five shows simultaneously.  These multiple-channel services had surely befuddled me.  I have yet know any one who can watch and enjoy that many shows at the same time.  I suspect this is why our dependable television set was acting up lately.  The malfunction of our old faithful will definitely give our ISP a cause to upgrade our services and get us, unsuspected users, sign up for additional services that we do not need and want.

About a few months ago, out television started to lose signals at its own free will.  After all self-help measure to restore the signal had failed, I resorted to our ISP 's support group for help.  In spite of the fact that its modems connected to our television set were only a couple of years old, I was advised that changing the old modems to the new ones will fix the problem.

Yet, contrary to what I was told that my initial contact with our ISP did give us a few weeks of reprieve.  This suggests that it is possible to maintain our existing services without new modems.  Now the same problem has resurfaced.

Normally, businesses will do their best to appease their customers.  But to me our ISP definitely did not act like a normal enterprise.  It just wouldn't take a NO for an answer.

Since our complaining to our ISP did not get us to anywhere, maybe the time has come for us to look elsewhere.  So we can  continue enjoying this simple pleasure as we did in the past.  -  Ayee

An Easy Decision

To take advantage of certain loopholes in US immigration laws, parents of many central American countries are sending their well-cared for children to the States without documents and guardians.  While I can appreciate these parents' choice of destinations for their flesh and blood, but sending young and vulnerable children to a foreign country to fend for themselves is not a win-win solution for both the kids and their parents.

If these children were allowed to stay, life in the States, without their parents nearby, can be daunting and challenge to say the least.  Also, it is save to say that life for these young and well-endowed migrants in a new country will be vastly different from the pampered life they had accustomed to when they were back home.

According to  various news coverages, these parents sent their kids away to save them from the violence in their home country.  But life in the States is not free of violence either.  The horrible scenes we saw on television every day are definitely not very inviting.

Since I am not in the same predicament as these concerned parents are, I must apologize for being judgemental of  parents who sent their kids to the States unchaperoned.  But for me, it is an easy decision.  Even for the worst of time, I, like many others, believe strongly that the best persons to care for the kids are their parents.  -  Ayee

A Four- Legged Angel

 "....the best parts of love are silent, needing no words to be understood, given or received."*

These were the simple yet profound words of a 29-year old woman.  She used them to describe the love of a patient and tolerant horse that she used to know.

When this young lady was nine years old, she was given a horse to ride and to care for.  Now in retrospect, the young rider credited her horse for teaching her many life changing lessons.

During the time when she was riding and caring for the horse, unknowing to her then, the young rider remembered her beautiful horse, through its tacit horsy languages, would show her the true meaning of "to give and to receive," as well as  being responsible for what we do.  In addition, the young rider learned that to forgive is to "love someone because of their flaws and frailties, not in spite of them."  Between invigorating riding lessons in the wild and quiet hours in the tack room, her equine friend would also kick in, (literally), a lesson or two on patience, trust and tolerance.

Now 20 years later, this young woman is grateful to her four-legged friend for staging many learning  moments for her.   Apparently,  the pure and unspoken love of an insightful  horse had changed the life of its rider to the better.  No wonder, she calls her horse her four-legged angel. - Ayee

 *"All pets go to heaven," Sylvia Browne, 2009 edition 

Unconditioned Love

Yesterday, outside a store I noticed a mid-size pit-bull sat on a pile of neatly bundled personal belongings.

The dog's sleek body against the backdrop of bricked walls reminded me of the sphinxes outside the pyramids on the Nile.  Furthermore, its intense and attentive  body emitted a staunch message to the passers -by that it was on a serious mission.  It looked like it was watching over the gold in Fort Knox.  Otherwise, it seemed to me the poochie was so attentive to its duty, it was not at all agitated or disturbed by what was going on around it.  But what concerned me most was that it was unleashed and it was alone on a busy sidewalk.

Because I do not want to see any animals got hurt in traffic, I had a habit of calling our local dog pound when I saw a stray dog around.  Then I remembered.  When I walked by where this handsome dog was, I passed by a middle-aged woman panhandling about half of a block away.

From that moment on, I realized that dog is in good hands.  Even though at the time when its owner was somewhat down and out herself, she had cared for furry friend well. -  Ayee

Keep Mr. Alhzeimer away.

To ensure they are not the victims of this insidious disease, an elderly couple* followed a simple routine to keep their brain active.

Twice a day, they give their tongue a workout.  After practicing their enhanced version of the regime for more than a year, they felt the simple exercise that moves their tongue in and out of their mouth beneficial to their healthy in many ways.  Besides experiencing  improvements in digestion and becoming less bothered by nasal drippings, they also felt that they can think better and find  their eyesight brighter.  Even their stiff limbs are becoming more flexible.

The workout this proactive couple followed was the enhanced version of the original exercise.  This diligent couple  included in their routine with techniques from others like meditation, chi-kung, and accu-pressure. But the original version from their doctor friend  is much simpler.  And it goes like this:

Stand in front of a mirror or sit down on a chair as this couple does.
Stick the tongue out like you are making a funny face to someone for at least ten times.
With the tongue outside of the mouth, wiggle it like a windshield wiper from left to right and right to left for at least ten times each.
And do this twice a day.

This sure sounds easy, right?

- Ayee
*
The above post is not a direct translation of an Internet posting in Chinese, "Tongue Exercise, - Simple, Easy and Effective," by Mr. Si Chien Wong, "Family Medicine - Healthy Living," circa unknown.

The editor of the publication thought the beneficial results this couple experienced from this simple exercise plausible.  As the tongue sits in front of Hippocampus, the bottom part of the brain that helps us think and form memories. When the tongue moves,the brain moves too. 

Farley Mowat 1921-2014

I want to join millions of others to mourn the loss of a Canadian icon.  The master storyteller cum animal lover, Farley Mowat, passed away five days before his 93th birthday in Ontario, Canada.

I did not make acquaintance with Mr. Mowat's great books until 2009.  Among the 14 or so books I read that year, six (see below) of them are penned by Mr. Mowat.

His early works on growing up in the Canadian prairie with his four-legged pal, Mutt, and two horned owls, Weep and Wol, mesmerized me.  The hilarious happenstance of his childhood made me yearn to relieve my growing-up years just like the young Farley did.

Among the many stories Mr. Mowat told on the harsh life the people in the Canadian north had to endure, there are at least two of them continued bringing chills to my bones.

One of them is an old Eskimo tradition.

Years ago, the people of the north would leave canoes snugged between the calm coves by the sea.  It is told that canoes outfitted with provisions were beached there for the departed as well as the stray explorers of the eerie and unpredictable sea.

Another poignant lore that Mr. Mowat told of the Canadian north is about a lifelong bond between a man and his pet wolf.  Amidst starvation and death, the man had to trade his best friend's lustrous coat for food and fuels to keep his family alive.

Through his many books, Mr. Mowat told us how difficult the life was in the Canadian north.  Canada's premier storyteller had also spoken out vehemently on the plights of the wildlife in the Canadian north.  In addition to his staunch stand against the seal hunt, his disgust on how a stranded whale was tortured to death off the Newfoundland coast had made him an outcast of the land he loved.

Thank you, Mr. Mowat!

-  Ayee

*
1.  "A Dog Who Wouldn't Be"
2   "Owls of the Family"
3.  "Tje Boat Who Wouldn't Float"
4.  "Bay of Spirit"
5.  "The OUtport People"
6.  "The Snow Walker"

Autism Awareness Month

Since it was discovered in 1943,* Autism remains a mysterious disorder.  So far there are still no definite answers as to the causes of this mind-boggling and disruptive condition in our young people.  Hopefully, through ongoing researches and dialogues, there will be a light at the end of the autistic tunnel soon.

First, I am most grateful to the facts that I had no hands-on experiences in dealing wuith autistic children.  I, however, am prepared to share with others some trivial information that may relate this disorder to a very smart but temperament young person whom we all know.

It came to me by accident.  Just a few weeks ago what I read to kill time while waiting for a friend, might, with due respect, connect one of the world smartest persons to Autism.

 But being ignorant in science related subjects, I had just learned that the Nobel laureate, Albert Einstein (1879 - l955)*, did not speak a word until he was three.  The renown American scientist, taught himself Calculus at age of 12, was also known to be a temperament child.  And it must he a great relief to his dear parents, besides his known achievement and contribution to the science world, the young Einstein grew up to live a normal life just like any other young boys did in his times.  -  Ayee

* (1) wikipedia.com
  (2) Microsoft Encarta Encyclopedia 2004 edition

Adjunct Professors

The other day I saw a piece of news on the plight of part-time college professors.

Now these day, to cut operating costs, many companies conduct their business with many part-time workers.  To my biggest surprise, these cost-saving measures are also prevalent practices in colleges and universities.  Part-time instructors or adjunct professors in the nationa's community colleges or universities are being hired on a course-by course basis.  According to PBS's NewsHour the other day, many fully qualified young professors with advanced degrees and loads of student loans can only secure part-time teaching positions.  The average earnings of a supplementary professor are around $12,000 per year.  While the salary ranges for their tenured counters are in the high-five to six figures ranges, auxiliary professors get paid at $2,000 to 2,500 per course.

The large disparity in earnings between an adjunct professor and a tenured faculty member had kept many college instructors living below the poverty line.  The make the ends meet, one individual teaches three courses at different schools.  And another a/p, a Ph. D. cum single mom, must commune each day to and from the school that is far away from where she and her daughter live. The same professor had to rely food stamps to support the family.  -  Ayee

Food for Thought - Low Blood Sugar and A Food Diary

A few years ago, when I started experiencing the on-and off discomforts from the un-dignosed hypoglycemia, a dear friend suggested that I started a food diary.

The reason to record what I had for dinner is to help me relate the foods I ate yesterday to how I feel today.  This will help me, a not very fussy eater, single out the foods that make me feel woozy or experience other low blood sugar level related sympton such as blurred vision, fatigue, poor circulation, and insomnia.

Although I do appreciate the wisdom behind a personal food diary, I failed to take advantage of this simple and informative way to track my diet on paper until about a few weeks ago.

After I started recording what I had for meals and snacks each day, the intelligence I gathered from my food ledger led me to  realize that I had too many sweet treats in my daily food intakes.  My food diary also gave me some ideas as to the amount of the foods I was eating each day.  I found I felt better if I had not stuffed myself the night before.

Now, thanks to my dear diary, I had finally figured out that in my case as far as my personal health is concerned, rich and sweet desserts are my worst enemies.  -  Ayee

Food for Thought - Low Blood Sugar

About four years ago on a sunny morning in December, I fell on a sidewalk in front of a store parking lot, and broke my wrist.  I did have a woozy feeling before the fall.  But I thought a slightly elevated cement slab on the walkway was to blame for the painful mishap.

Now after four long years, I, not diabetic, finally, through the hard ways, learned of the real culprit of this preventable accident.

I remember the day before I fell on my face, I gave myself a rare treat -  a large milk shake.  This popular drink made with ice cream, milk and strawberry syrup is loaded with sugars.

And we all know too much sweets in our diet can cause low blood sugar or hypoglycemia in us.  Among many discomforts and other aliments associated with not having enough glucose in our blood stream, dizziness and light-headed feeling had led many of us to fall suddenly and hurt ourselves.  In some cases, low blood sugar can render us unconsciousness.  -  Ayee

Make it small!

In addition to the frigid sub-zero weatehr, this New Year did not start well for America.

First,the country was told that a group of first responders in the 911 attacks had claimed disbility benefits that they do not deserve.  Then, there was this news coverage for the world to see what top-aide of the incumbent governor in Jersey had done to embarrass their political opponents.

This year also marked the 50th anniversary of a federal government's initiative, "War on Poverty." Undoubtedly, programs such as food stamps, low-income housing, financial aids to students, and Medicaid had helped many people in need.  But there are also a plenty of evidences that suggested  "War on Poverty" had not  made our society a happier and safer place to live.  According to the critics of this well-intended government policy, "War on Poverty" had made the America a welfare state.   Now fifty years later, lineups at local food banks are getting longer, public housing projects have become unlivable, college students have burdened themselves with mounting debts, nd homeless population on city streets is also climbing.

Needless to say, both acts of dishonesty and bullying are so un-American and appalling.  I hate to think that big governments may have given us a helping hand to become wards of the governments. When the governments get bigger, they also become less transparent and  vulnerable to many undue abuses. -  Ayee