Author Archives: merilee

Almost everybody loves dogs, especially puppies. Some people make a lot of money from that love. Somebody invented a technique for raising huge sums of money: produce a tearjerker TV commercial showing sad-eyed emaciated dogs behind barbed wire. Then, instead … Continue reading →

            Civil society is a slippery slope. It’s a constant tug of war between total individual freedom and rules that enable us to live as a society. We have free speech, but we may not yell “Fire” in a crowded … Continue reading →

Note to readers:  Since this was written, the legislature ended without passing the ethics commission legislation. I used to joke that my late husband was the last honest man in the New Mexico legislature. He was not the last, though. … Continue reading →

In the back of the restaurant, out of sight of the patrons, an employee is trying to avoid sneezing on your dinner. He shouldn’t be there. He should be home in bed, but he can’t afford to stay home because … Continue reading →

Let’s humiliate the schools a little more, says the Public Education Department. That’s a great way to motivate and encourage students. While this is going on, there’s news of a bright spot. The humiliation: PED has released the “grades” of … Continue reading →

High school kids come around dropping leaflets at my door asking me to donate a bag full of food. This time of year, there are food drives everywhere. Sometimes I give, sometimes I don’t. It makes more sense to give … Continue reading →

When the Dianna Duran scandal made the headlines, I asked a different question. What was she doing with all that money in the first place, I asked? How does the Secretary of State’s race generate hundreds of thousands of dollars … Continue reading →