Author Archives: merilee

I am really tired of paying off loan sharks for other people’s debts. Aren’t you? You’re wondering what I’m talking about? The social cost of predatory lending. We’ve all heard about this, the payday loans and the car title loans, … Continue reading →

If you are elderly or have a disability, an extensive network of services may be available to you. Depending on where you live and what you need, you might have access to home–delivered meals, home repair, transportation,  financial consulting, legal … Continue reading →

The United States Senate, as you probably know, left Washington for a lengthy summer recess without passing an appropriation for research on the Zika virus. Though most senators agreed on the funding, Democrats disagreed with provisions unrelated to this issue, … Continue reading →

The map of New Mexico is a vivid reminder of what starkly different worlds we New Mexicans live in – one tight clump in the center of the state and enormous open spaces dotted with small towns. The map, in … Continue reading →

The kid was obviously talented.  He was athletic and graceful.  He could sing, dance, memorize lines, and occasionally did a cartwheel across the room for fun. We were in an amateur show produced by a local community organization.  Most cast … Continue reading →

One day last summer I found a dead bee in my driveway.  A few weeks later I found another one.     Since this had not happened before, I wondered whether I was inadvertently responsible. It might have been the fertilizer-pesticide … Continue reading →

A woman in a small New Mexico community was pregnant and went into labor prematurely.  She went to the right hospital  — that is, the one covered by her health insurance plan.   She gave birth to premature triplets.  Specialists were … Continue reading →